Methods of Investigation of Antibacterial Activity and the Mechanism of Antimicrobial Action of Drug Molecules Encapsulated in Delivery Systems

Due to the diversity of the structure and supramolecular architecture of existing antibacterial drug delivery systems, the question of choosing methods for study of the in vitro properties of the proposed drug forms (DFs) and determining the effect of the carrier on the antimicrobial properties of the drug in the research laboratory is especially relevant. This review examines the main microbiological methods of antimicrobial activity investigation that are used in the study of DFs and provides recommendations for choosing a research method in accordance with the type and chemical nature of the drug carrier. In addition, instrumental methods and experimental techniques for studying the mechanism of antimicrobial action of DF, as well as in vitro effects, which are most often observed in the literature when the drug is encapsulated in a carrier, are discussed. This review provides the researcher with a strategy for analyzing the antimicrobial properties of the DF based on the physicochemical properties of the system, which allows a more comprehensive assessment of the future prospects of drugs.