Plant-Based Nanoantibiotics: An Effective Strategy to Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance

Commonly used antibiotics use multiple administrations for providing a continuous bactericidal effect but can increase systemic toxicity, as well as lead to bacterial drug resistance. The use of plant-based antibacterial compounds in combination with conventional antibiotics to treat drug-resistant infections could be an alternative to overcoming the problem of bacterial resistance. The combination of antibiotics with plant-based antibacterial compounds has shown synergistic advantages due to the inhibition of drug efflux and the presence of alternative mechanisms of action. Moreover, the nanoencapsulation of antibiotics is another effective technique to overcome antibiotic resistance. Nano-encapsulated antimicrobials have a better performance in comparison with traditional antibiotics due to their small size which leads to better interaction with bacterial cells. The different nanocarriers are effective in efficiently administering antibiotics by improving pharmacokinetics and accumulation while reducing the adverse effects. Additionally, the surface engineering of nanocarriers provides benefits such as targeting and modulating various resistance mechanisms. Furthermore, most nanocarriers are suitable platforms for co-loading of plant-based antibacterial compounds and traditional antibiotics to provide synergistic effects. This study outlines recent attempts to combat infectious diseases, with a focus on the use of plant-based nanoantibiotics as novel tools to address today’s issues in infectious disease treatment.