Design, challenge, and promise of stimuli-responsive nanoantibiotics

Nano Convergence

Table 1 Comparisons of various nanoantibiotics

Class	Example	Pro	Con	Mechanism	Current usage	References
Polymers	Chitosan	Biocompatibility, cationic properties, cost	Insoluble in biological pH	Cell membrane destabilization, enzyme inactivation	Bacterio-static agent, coating for implants, water purification	[21–24]
	Gelatin	Biocompatibility, polymer size uniformity, cost	Preparation, lack of muco-adhesive properties	Destabilization of membrane	Food additive, immunoassay	[25–27]
	Stearyl-melittin	Membrane lysis potential, minimal toxicity	Material preparation	Cell membrane depolarization, inhibition of biopolymer synthesis	Gene transfection	[31]
Metals and metal oxides	Gold	Photo-thermal and optical activity	Non-biodegradability	Cell membrane disruption	Photo-thermal therapy, adjuvant	[34, 35]
	Silver	Multi-microbe efficacy	Toxicity	Release of heavy metal ions, multiple effects	Coatings, wound dressing, filters	[4, 10, 36]
	Titanium dioxide	Magnetic and photocatalytic activity	Ease of clearance	ROS generation, damage cell wall and membrane	Food, purifiers, water treatment	[5, 37]
Carbons	Fullerenes	Site-specificity in vivo	Acute toxicity	Electron transport disruption	Disinfectants	[39]
Carbons	Nanotubes	Manufacturing ease, photo-thermal and photodynamic activity	Toxicity	Cell membrane disruption by ROS, intracellular component oxidation	Water filtration, coatings, antifouling membranes, wound treatment	[3, 40, 41]