Dendrimers as Multi-Target Nanotherapeutic Strategies Against Antimicrobial Resistance: Current Drug Targets and Mechanistic Insights

Nanomedicine against antimicrobial resistance: mechanistic insights and next-generation therapeutic potential

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most critical global health threats, severely limiting the effectiveness of existing therapies against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens is largely driven by rapid genetic evolution, which promotes multiple resistance mechanisms such as drug degradation, target-site alteration, reduced intracellular drug accumulation, and biofilm formation, leading to persistent infections and rising mortality. These challenges highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies beyond conventional antimicrobials. Nanomedicine has gained considerable attention due to its unique physicochemical properties, enabling improved drug stability, targeted delivery, controlled release, enhanced pathogen penetration, and multimodal antimicrobial action. This review comprehensively examines resistance mechanisms across major microbial pathogens and discusses the evolution of nanomedicine as an advanced platform for combating AMR. Particular emphasis is placed on green biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles using biological resources, offering environmentally sustainable and biocompatible antimicrobial nanomaterials. The synergistic interactions between nanomaterials and conventional antimicrobial agents that enhance therapeutic efficacy and restore susceptibility in resistant pathogens. Emerging next-generation antimicrobial nanomedicine platforms, including biomimetic nanoparticles, antimicrobial peptide delivery systems, CRISPR-enabled nanocarriers, and stimuli-responsive systems, are also highlighted for their potential in precision infection management. Finally, key challenges involving toxicity, biosafety, microbiome disruption, environmental impact, manufacturing scalability, regulatory and clinical translation. Addressing these barriers will be essential for advancing safe and effective nanomedicine-based solutions against AMR.

Metal nanoparticles as next-generation therapeutics against antimicrobial resistance: mechanisms, functionalization, and translational potential

Potentials of metallodrugs as next-generation antimicrobial agents

The rising global concerns for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) urgently demands novel antimicrobial agents. Conventional antibiotics, which are purely based on organic moieties, are failing against multidrug-resistant (MDR) and pan-drug-resistant (PDR) pathogens, necessitating innovative therapeutic approaches. However, metallodrugs, compounds incorporating metal ions, have re-emerged as a promising class of antimicrobials. Historically used in medicine, their application declined with conventional antibiotics. However, metallodrugs offer unique chemical diversity, diverse mechanisms of action, and the ability to overcome established resistance pathways. This review explores their multifaceted actions, including membrane disruption, oxidative stress induction, and enzyme inhibition. Key metal ions like silver, copper, gold, gallium, bismuth, and ruthenium are highlighted for their antimicrobial applications and therapeutic potential. Advanced strategies for enhancing metallodrug efficacy include rational ligand design, combination therapies, nanotechnology-driven delivery systems, and photoactivation. While significant opportunities exist, challenges such as toxicity concerns, pharmacokinetic optimization, potential resistance mechanisms, and regulatory pathways must be addressed. This article provides a foundation for researchers and clinicians, emphasizing metallodrugs’ transformative potential in combating the AMR crisis and shaping infectious disease treatment.

Nanotechnology-Based Strategies against Antimicrobial Resistance: Current Status and Future Prospects

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a rapidly escalating global health crisis that threatens the effective treatment of infectious diseases. The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, coupled with the declining discovery of new antibiotics, has necessitated the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach owing to its unique physicochemical properties, enabling targeted drug delivery, improved antimicrobial efficacy, enhanced biofilm penetration, and reduced systemic toxicity. This review aims to summarize recent advances in nanotechnology-based strategies for combating AMR, highlighting the mechanisms of action, therapeutic applications, current research progress, and future translational prospects. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles published in recent years. Studies focusing on nanoparticle-based antimicrobial therapies, drug delivery systems, biofilm-targeting approaches, and clinical advancements were critically evaluated. Various nanoplatforms, including metallic, polymeric, lipid-based, and carbon-based nanoparticles, have demonstrated significant potential in overcoming conventional resistance mechanisms through targeted drug delivery, membrane disruption, reactive oxygen species generation, and controlled drug release. Additionally, nanotechnology enhances antibiotic stability, improves intracellular drug accumulation, and facilitates combination therapies. Despite promising preclinical outcomes, challenges related to toxicity, large-scale manufacturing, regulatory approval, and long-term safety remain barriers to clinical translation. Nanotechnology offers a transformative strategy to address antimicrobial resistance by improving therapeutic efficacy and minimizing resistance development. Continued interdisciplinary research, standardized safety evaluations, and well-designed clinical studies are essential to accelerate the successful clinical implementation of nano-enabled antimicrobial therapies. Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Nanomedicine; Nanoparticle-based drug delivery; Biofilm inhibition; Precision antimicrobial therapy.

Mechanistic and molecular insights into emerging anti-virulence therapeutics.

Nanotechnology-Enabled Strategies to Overcome Antibiotic Resistance in Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms, Platforms, and Translational Challenges

Preclinical studies targeting major respiratory pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrate enhanced biofilm disruption, intracellular drug delivery, and reductions in bacterial burden.