Desenvolvimento de nanopartículas de sílica mesoporosas com composto natural ou sintético: uma estratégia para o controle de infecções microbianas

Abstract

In light of the growing clinical challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, the development of novel therapeutic strategies has become imperative. In this context, the incorporation of synthetic drugs and phytocompounds into mesoporous silica nanoparticles emerges as a promising approach to overcome the physicochemical limitations of these molecules, as such nanomaterials exhibit unique structural features that support their application as carriers for bioactive compounds. Accordingly, this study aimed to prepare and evaluate different nanosystems based on SBA16-type mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with either (E,E)-farnesol (SBA16-APTES-FAR) or ciprofloxacin (SBA16-CIPRO and SBA16-APTES-CIPRO). The obtained nanoparticles were characterized using physicochemical and morphological techniques, which confirmed the formation of the mesoporous structure. Antimicrobial activity was assessed through microdilution assays, as well as biofilm formation inhibition tests. The results revealed differences in nanosystem performance depending on the loaded molecule, with higher activity associated with ciprofloxacin-containing systems. The SBA16-APTES-FAR system did not demonstrate superior performance compared to the free terpene. In contrast, SBA16-CIPRO and SBA16-APTES-CIPRO systems promoted a reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and exhibited a more pronounced antibiofilm effect when compared to the free antibiotic, highlighting their potential as promising drug delivery platforms for the treatment of biofilm-associated infections.