Nystatin-Based Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Coated with Polyethylene Glycol for Enhancing the Antibacterial Activity Against Some Resistance Pathogenic Bacteria

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are widely used nanoparticles due to their remarkable antibacterial properties. In this study, we present a novel approach for synthesizing ZnONPs using chemical precipitation techniques and incorporating polyethylene glycol-300 (PEG-300) as an intermediate compound, facilitating the nystatin (NYS) and ZnONP linkage through the formation of a stable ZnONPs-PEG framework conjugate. The synthesized ZnONPs and their conjugates were fully analyzed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The ZnONPs-PEG-NYS revealed an abnormal structure resembling a spherical shape with a particle size of 67.38 nm. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the well-diffusion method against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) resistant pathogenic bacteria. Our findings indicate that ZnONPs-PEG exhibited significantly improved antibacterial efficacy compared to ZnONPs alone. The nanocomposite ZnONPs-PEG-NYS exhibits superior antimicrobial effects, with inhibition zone diameters of 28.32 mm, 23.63 mm, 20.47 mm, and 17.73 mm against S. aureus, S. mutans, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae, respectively. This study highlights the promising antibacterial activity of nystatin against the tested pathogens and introduces a potential cost-effective and eco-friendly treatment option for infectious diseases.