Recently, the combination of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) of Au, Ag, Fe2 O3 , and Fe3 O4 with traditional soft matter drug-delivery systems has emerged as a promising strategy to achieve site-specific and controlled release of antimicrobial agents. By harnessing the plasmonic and magnetic properties of inorganic NPs, the disruption of antibiotic-loaded liposomes, polymersomes, and hydrogels can be remotely triggered by mechanisms such as photo- and magneto-thermal effects, microbubble cavitation, magnetic positioning, and pH-changes, hence offering significant advantages in improving antibacterial efficacy, reducing side effects, and in overcoming antimicrobial resistance. This review highlights the latest development of stimuli-responsive antibiotic delivery systems incorporating inorganic NPs. The methods employed for preparation of hybrid inorganic NP-associated drug-delivery systems and the effects this has upon the system are discussed. Finally, a detailed exposition of the NP-mediated triggering mechanisms is provided and pertinent examples of their use in antimicrobial applications are presented.
Keywords: antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; drug-delivery systems; inorganic nanoparticles; stimuli-responsive.
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