Magnetically active micromixer assisted synthesis of drug nanocomplexes exhibiting strong bactericidal potential

In the ever-growing demand for drug nanocomplexes (DNCs), the need for smart systems or processes is indispensable to circumvent the demerits imposed by the conventional methods for the synthesis of DNCs. The demerits include prolonged hours of the synthesis, minimal loading and poor conjugation. Herein, we proposed a simplistic approach for the synthesis of DNCs through a magnetically active Polydimethylsiloxane micromixer which can render maximal loading in an unprecedented time. The UV-Vis, FTIR, and XRD analysis corroborate the proposed mechanism of conjugation of the drug and nanoparticles. The XPS, contact angle and zeta potential measurements revealed the composition, hydrophilicity and surface charges of the synthesized DNCs, respectively. Further, the microscopy images exemplify the encapsulation of the drug. In the antibacterial activity studies, the DNCs substantially inhibited the growth of the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. FESEM images proved preferential accumulation of DNCs around bacterial cells effectively annihilating them. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.