Nanotechnology in the formulation of antimicrobial agents as a strategy to combat superbugs: an integrative review

Infections caused by superbugs currently constitute one of the greatest global health challenges. Strategies to overcome bacterial resistance still face significant obstacles, including the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains and potential toxic effects. Nanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of particles at the nanometer scale (1–100 nm), has emerged as a promising alternative for the prevention and treatment of infections, although concerns remain regarding possible adverse health effects, such as neurotoxicity and potential genotoxic or teratogenic effects. The present review aimed to identify, describe, and analyze the use of nanoparticles in the formulation of antimicrobial compounds. A systematic search for scientific articles was conducted in the Virtual Health Library (BVS), PubMed, and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases, using Health Sciences descriptors (DeCS-BIREME), including “Drug Resistance, Microbial,” “Nanotechnology,” “Nanostructures,” “Nanomedicine,” and “Anti-Infective Agents,” combined with the keywords “Antimicrobial Agent,” “Antibiotic Resistance,” and “Antibacterials.” A total of eleven articles met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that various metallic nanoparticles - including silver (AgNPs), copper (CuNPs), zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs), and silicon dioxide (SiO₂-NPs) - can enhance the efficacy of antibiotics against resistant bacteria, such as carbapenem-resistant strains, in addition to exerting direct bactericidal activity through mechanisms such as oxidative stress and damage to bacterial proteins and nucleic acids. Overall, with advances in science and technology, nanomaterials have the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional drugs and expand antimicrobial applications, contributing to the future fight against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.