Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated Antibiotics: Stability and Functional Evaluation

Utilizing the combined reducing property of antibiotics and sodium borohydride, gold nanoparticles (Gnps) were co-synthesized with the antibiotics (ampicillin, streptomycin and kanamycin) and during this process antibiotics were conjugated with Gnps. The conjugation of nanoparticles was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electron microscopic (EM) studies. Such Gnps conjugated antibiotics when applied to three bacterial strains e.g. Escherichia coli DH5α, Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus, showed greater bactericidal activity and reduced minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) compared to their respective free forms. More significantly, all the three conjugated antibiotics displayed greater stability in UV, heat and prolonged storage at room temperature compared to their free form. Thus, our findings indicate that Gnps conjugated antibiotics are more efficient and may have significant therapeutic implications in the near future.