Mycosynthesis of Nanoparticles and Their Application in Medicine

Recently emerging field in science is myconanotechnology, where the creation and exploitation of nanoparticles is done by using fungi. Fungi used as biofactories for cost effective, ecofriendly production of nanoparticles. They have resistance to many harsh conditions and also their extracellular reductive protein makes downstream process easier. Myconanotechnology represents a new paradigm in the development of antimicrobial nanomedicine. Mostly silver nanoparticles have been discovered to have antimicrobial activity. It is used against pathogenic fungi infecting plants as an alternative to pesticides. It also has antimicrobial property. Antimicrobial property of nanoparticles becomes an alternative to antibiotics. It is more advantageous in treating bacterial infection. Implantable devices and medicinal materials are coated using nanoparticles to prevent infection, promote wound healing and used to deliver antibiotics to treat diseases. This chapter deals with antimicrobial application of myconanotechnology which includes antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity of myconanoparticles. Also explains about currently accepted antibacterial mechanisms of nanoparticles which are oxidative stress, metal ion release and non-oxidative mechanism and about critical factors affecting antimicrobial mechanism and their antibacterial applications.