Title: Synergistic antibacterial effect against S. Aureus in combination with amoxicillin using fluconazole nanoparticles studied under atomic force microscopy

Authors: Dania Ahmed; Samina Perveen; Muhammad Raza Shah; Farid Ahmed

Addresses: International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 74500, Pakistan ' International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 74500, Pakistan ' International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 74500, Pakistan ' International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 74500, Pakistan

Abstract: COVID-19 patients are increasing day by day. The risk of bacteria-virus co-infection also escalates. Antibiotic resistance caused by pathogenic bacteria has become a major health challenge these days. The key objective was to examine the antibacterial effects of Fluconazole coated silver nanoparticles (Ful-AgNPs) in combination with amoxicillin against bacteria that show resistance to amoxicillin. Here we report quick, and feasible synthetic procedure for the preparation of Ful-AgNPs. Characterisation of nanoparticles was performed by employing Uv, FTIR, and AFM techniques. The size of Ful-AgNPs found in the range from 9-18 nm. Fractional inhibitory concentration index showed synergistic interaction of Ful-AgNPs with amoxicillin with effective inhibitory values found to be 25-50 μg while MIC for amoxicillin alone was found to be 75 μg. Bioassay conducted via AFM along with classical bioassay that supports the synergistic effect of Ful-AgNPs on the antibacterial activity of amoxicillin. Synthesised nanoparticles have found nontoxic against human mononuclear macrophages.

Keywords: silver nanoparticles; antibacterial potential; UV-visible spectroscopy; amoxicillin; synergistic effect; combinatorial effect; COVID-19.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2023.135748

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2023 Vol.15 No.1, pp.1 - 17

Received: 02 Feb 2021
Received in revised form: 28 Jun 2021
Accepted: 19 Mar 2022
Published online: 04 Jan 2024 *

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