నానోమెడిసిన్ & నానోటెక్నాలజీ జర్నల్

నైరూప్య

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles as Antimicrobial Agents: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Perspectives

Abhishek Prakash Tiwari

Human beings are primarily affected by infectious diseases, which are caused by microbes. Excessive consumption of antibiotics gave rise to antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, which need clinical assistance. Therefore, there is a need for an alternate antimicrobial agent that should be safe and exhibit greater efficiency. For the same purpose, researchers have started working on metal oxide nanoparticles (MeO-NPs), which have proven an effective alternative to combat pathogens. Apart from their antimicrobial characteristics, MeO-NPs can act as drug carriers. Thus, it exhibits a wide spectrum of applications in the healthcare sector. The review highlights the action mechanism of metal oxide nanoparticles against microbes, their physical properties, safety issues, and future perspectives.