Chitosan-based nanoparticles against bacterial infections

Chitosan nanomaterials have become a hot topic in biomedicine due to exerting antimicrobial effects with interestingly high levels of biodegradability and biocompatibility without causing toxicity. Regarded as a potential means of wound dressing with antimicrobial activity, chitosan exhibits higher efficiency when it is functionally modified with other natural compounds, metallic antimicrobial particles and antibiotics. Mechanistically, the antibacterial effect of chitosan is mostly, associated with the death-proceeding leakage of intracellular content, induced by malfunction and altered permeability of the negatively charged cell membrane, on which chitosan is adsorbed. Moreover, chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) are endowed with favorable features of NPs (i.e., large surface-to-volume ratio, high functionalization possibilities and a greater capacity for drug loading), as well as that of their chitosan base, thereby possessing strengthened antibacterial potential. In addition, polycations target negatively charged bacterial membranes, so bacteria cells are more strongly affected by polycationic chitosan NPs than pure chitosan.

Automated summary

Chitosan nanomaterials have gained attention in biomedicine for their high levels of biodegradability and biocompatibility, along with antimicrobial effects. Functional modification with other natural compounds, metallic antimicrobial particles, and antibiotics can enhance the efficiency of chitosan in wound dressing with antimicrobial activity. The antibacterial effect of chitosan is mainly associated with the leakage of intracellular content due to malfunction and altered permeability of the negatively charged cell membrane, on which chitosan is adsorbed. Additionally, chitosan nanoparticles possess favorable features of nanoparticles and their chitosan base, thereby exhibiting strengthened antibacterial potential. Polycations in chitosan nanoparticles target negatively charged bacterial membranes, resulting in a stronger effect on bacterial cells compared to pure chitosan.