Antibacterial activity and mechanism of Ag/ZnO nanocomposite against anaerobic oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans

作者：Wang, Shilei; Wu, Jie; Yang, Hao; Liu, Xiangyu; Huang, Qiaomu; Lu, Zhong^*

来源：Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine , 2017, 28(1): 23.

DOI：10.1007/s10856-016-5837-8

• GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA
• SILVER NANOPARTICLES
• BIOFILM FORMATION
• ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
• ESCHERICHIA-COLI
• ZNO
• CYTOTOXICITY
• MODE
• EFFICACY
• CUO

Dental caries is a widespread disease mainly caused by the anaerobic oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Ag/ZnO nanocomposite is an efficient antibacterial agent because of its high antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. In this study, rod-like Ag/ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized through a deposition-precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The activity of Ag/ZnO nanocomposite against S. mutans was evaluated by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and growth inhibition curve. The results showed that Ag/ZnO nanocomposite displayed higher activity against S. mutans compared with pure ZnO nanorods. Moreover, the antibacterial mechanism was investigated by determining the bacterial membrane potential, release of K+, intracellular reactive oxygen generation and lipid peroxidation. Disruption of membrane function and oxidation of biomacromolecules played important role in the antibacterial action of Ag/ZnO nanocomposite. This work proposes a potentially effective dental antibacterial agent against the dental caries-causing S. mutans.

• 出版日期2017-1
• 单位武汉工程大学