Silver nanoparticles may be a useful tool to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria. - GreenMedInfo Summary

In the present scenario, pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors are facing the challenges of continuously increase in the multi-drug resistant human pathogenic microbes. Re-emergence of multi-drug resistant microbes is facilated due to drug and/or antibiotic resistance, which is the acquired way of microbes for their survival and multiplication in uncomfortable environment. Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections tend to significant increase in mortality, morbidity and cost of prolonged treatments. Therefore, the development, modification or searching the antimicrobial compounds having bactericidal potential against multi-drug resistant bacteria is a priority area of research. Since the immemorial time, silver in the form of various compounds and Bhasma's have been used in Ayurveda to treat several bacterial infections. As several pathogenic bacteria are developing antibiotic resistance, silver nanoparticles are the new hope to treat them. The present review discusses the bactericidal potential of silver nanoparticles against the multi-drug resistant bacteria. This multi-actional, nano-weapon can be used for the treatment and prevention of drug-resistant microbes.© 2012The Authors Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.