Metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), have been extensively studied as drug delivery systems for various therapeutic applications. However, drug-loaded-AuNPs have been rarely explored in vivo for their effect on bacteria residing inside tissues. Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a second-generation fluoroquinolone with a broad-spectrum of antibiotic properties devoid of developing bacteria resistance. This research is focused on the synthesis and physical characterization of Ciprofloxacin-loaded gold nanoparticles (CIP-AuNPs) and their effect on the colonization of Enterococcus faecalis in the liver and kidneys of mice. The successfully prepared CIP-AuNPs were stable and exerted enhanced in vitro antibacterial activity against E. faecalis compared with free CIP. The optimized CIP-AuNPs were administered (500 µg/Kg) once a day via tail vein to infected mice for eight days and were found to be effective in eradicating E. faecalis from the host tissues. Moreover, unlike CIP, CIP-AuNPs were non-hemolytic. In summary, this study demonstrated that CIP-AuNPs are promising and biocompatible alternative therapeutics for E.-faecalis-induced infections resistant to conventional drugs (e.g., beta-lactams and vancomycin) and should be further investigated.
Keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; ciprofloxacin; drug delivery; gold nanoparticles; liver and kidney infections; nanotechnology.