Nanotechnologies in the Light of Modern Antibacterial Strategies: A Review

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence and growth of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains in recent decades is associated with the widespread and uncontrolled use of antibiotics, as well as a decrease in the number of effective studies and discoveries of new classes of antibacterial drugs. These alarming trends are recognized as a major threat to global public health. They stimulate and increase the relevance of a large-scale search and study of new antimicrobial strategies, alternative to traditional antibiotic therapy. The purpose of the review is a critical analysis of advantages and limitations of modern antimicrobial platforms with an emphasis on innovative techniques of using nanoparticles for a direct or indirect effect on pathogenic bacteria, including the MDR ones. Materials and methods: The search for literary sources published in 2017–2021 was carried out in the resources of the Cochrane Library (Wiley Online Library directory), EMBASE (EMBASE.com), CINAHL, and Web of Science. Results: Most positive therapeutic effects for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases were obtained by implementing fundamentally new mechanisms of antimicrobial activity of nanosized particles and other nanomaterials. When assessing future prospects of nanotechnology as the most dynamically and actively developing and promising recent antimicrobial strategy, it should be concluded that these innovative platforms certainly merit attention and further study as alternative means of preventing and treating bacterial infections. The main limitation for the clinical use of modern nanomaterials is the need for further assessment of their safety and cytotoxicity. Conclusions: Tackling antibiotic resistance requires the concerted action of community and government institutions. The development of safe and effective antibacterial technologies should be accompanied by adoption of an international program of strict regulation and tough measures of control over validity and rational use of antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs in medicine, cosmetology, and agriculture.