Nanotechnology in Targeted Delivery of Antimicrobials and Overcoming Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emerges when antimicrobial agents are unable to kill microbes, and it is a major global concern. Therapeutic antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, are not so effective nowadays due to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This created an urgent need for alternative antimicrobials that can solve such intricate global issues. With the advancement in nanotechnology, antibiotics and drugs can be delivered directly to bacterial infection sites in higher doses using nanoparticles as carriers/conjugates. Nanoparticle-based approaches to antimicrobial delivery have the potential to overcome existing drug resistance mechanisms due to their unique targeting characteristics, multiple antimicrobial mechanisms, controlled release, and ability to penetrate barriers like biofilms and reach intracellular bacteria. Thus, the conjugation of nanomaterials with antimicrobials may offer a solution to the global problem of resistance. This permits specific, localized treatment that lessens the likelihood of adverse effects of drugs and promotes less widespread resistance. This review highlights the recent developments in the application of nanotechnology to fight against AMR. The development of nanoparticle-based vaccinations and novel antimicrobial medicines, as well as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning–based tools to predict and detect bacteria and their resistance mechanisms, is spotlighted which is normally not reviewed utterly. However, toxicity, regulatory difficulties, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed for nanotechnology to be implemented in clinical practice. More study into nanotechnology is necessary to create efficient tactics to address worldwide health concerns of AMR, and it can potentially play a significant role as a therapeutic tool towards diminishing resistance with effective and improved characteristics.