Encapsulation of antibiotics with nanoparticles for bacterial control: methods, advantages and challenges

The increase in bacterial resistance and the decrease in the effectiveness of many antibiotics have highlighted the need for new drug delivery strategies. This review article reviews the latest advances in the encapsulation of antibiotics using nanoparticles for bacterial control. First, the main types of nanoparticles such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles including PLGA and chitosan, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles such as silver and gold, silica nanoparticles and dendrimers are described, along with various encapsulation mechanisms such as physical entrapment, surface adsorption, covalent attachment and stimuli-responsive systems. Next, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of encapsulation are investigated, including increased drug stability, controlled release, targeted delivery to infected tissues and cells, and improved penetration into biofilms. The findings indicate that the use of nanocarriers can reduce systemic toxicity and increase the effective drug concentration at the site of infection. However, there are also important challenges; These include issues related to the long-term toxicity and safety of nanoparticles, the physical and chemical stability of the formulations, the difficulty of industrial-scale production, the lack of standardized unified methods for evaluation, biotechnological complexities, and regulatory considerations. Finally, some perspectives for future research are suggested. These include the development of multifunctional systems that are combinations of antibiotics with antibiofilm or immunomodulatory agents, conducting comprehensive preclinical and clinical studies, and establishing standard frameworks for assessing the safety and efficacy of nanocarriers. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive view of the potential and challenges ahead in translating antibiotic nanoencapsulation technology into clinical applications.