Applications of Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Activity and Drug Delivery

Although molecular medicine has developed numerous antimicrobial drugs to kill or inhibit microbes, many infectious diseases remain difficult to treat because of challenges, such as intracellular infections, acquired resistance, and adverse side effects. Nanotechnology has made significant progress over the past decades and is introducing a new paradigm in pharmacotherapy. Nanoparticles have many unique physicochemical properties with promising solutions for the problems with conventional antimicrobial agents. The potency and efficacy of an antimicrobial agent and/or the target specificity of a drug can be greatly enhanced by applying nanoparticle technology. Significant evidence has demonstrated that nanoparticles can be effective in treating microbes and acquired resistance. This study reviewed the latest advances in using nanoparticles for antimicrobial activities, and for the delivery of antimicrobial drugs.