Combination Effect of Novel Bimetallic Ag-Ni Nanoparticles with Fluconazole against Candida albicans

Abstract

The increasing frequency of antifungal drug resistance among pathogenic yeast “Candida” has posed an immense global threat to the public healthcare sector. The most notable species of Candida causing most fungal infections is Candida albicans. Furthermore, recent research has revealed that transition and noble metal combinations can have synergistic antimicrobial effects. Therefore, a one-pot seedless biogenic synthesis of Ag-Ni bimetallic nanoparticles (Ag–Ni NPs) using Salvia officinalis aqueous leaf extract is described. Various techniques, such as UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and TGA, were used to validate the production of Ag-Ni NPs. The antifungal susceptibility of Ag-Ni NPs alone and in combination with fluconazole (FLZ) was tested against FLZ-resistant C. albicans isolate. Furthermore, the impacts of these NPs on membrane integrity, drug efflux pumps, and biofilms formation were evaluated. The MIC (1.56 μg/mL) and MFC (3.12 μg/mL) results indicated potent antifungal activity of Ag-Ni NPs against FLZ-resistant C. albicans. Upon combination, synergistic interaction was observed between Ag-Ni NPs and FLZ against C. albicans 5112 with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) value of 0.31. In-depth studies revealed that Ag-Ni NPs at higher concentrations (3.12 μg/mL) have anti-biofilm properties and disrupt membrane integrity, as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy results. In comparison, morphological transition was halted at lower concentrations (0.78 μg/mL). From the results of efflux pump assay using rhodamine 6G (R6G), it was evident that Ag-Ni NPs blocks the efflux pumps in the FLZ-resistant C. albicans 5112. Targeting biofilms and efflux pumps using novel drugs will be an alternate approach for combatting the threat of multi-drug resistant (MDR) stains of C. albicans. Therefore, this study supports the usage of Ag-Ni NPs to avert infections caused by drug resistant strains of C. albicans.

Metal Nanoparticles to Combat Candida albicans Infections: An Update

“…Kamli et al [ 22 ] synthetized silver and nickel bimetallic nanoparticles (Ag-NiNPs) using an extract of Salvia officinalis leaves. Ag-NiNPs were generated as semi-spherical agglomerated clusters that harboured smaller and larger nanoparticles ranging in average size from 31.84 to 47.85 nm.…”

“…However, these antifungals may be limited in terms of toxicity, limited spectrum, relapse of infections, route of administration, high cost, availability, and the emergence of antifungal resistant strains of C. albicans [ 19 , 20 ]. To overcome these limitations, several studies have sought to identify new therapeutic strategies for candidiasis with a focus on nanotechnology [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Facile Synthesis of Magnetic Nigella Sativa Seeds: Advances on Nano-Formulation Approaches for Delivering Antioxidants and Their Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans

“…Mutations in the ergosterol production pathway and an increase in antifungal efflux are the two fundamental mechanisms responsible for C. albicans ’ drug resistance [ 18 ]. Previous studies suggest that metal-based NPs have an antifungal activity [ 19 , 20 ]. Due to their distinctive physical and chemical properties, drug delivery, antibacterial properties, and bio-detection are critical features of many metallic NPs [ 21 ].…”

Synthesis and Catalytic Study of NiAg Bimetallic Core–Shell Nanoparticles

“…The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of synthesis, along with the catalytic properties, of AgNi nanoparticles. For this purpose, different methods, including laser ablation [ 30 ], reduction by green plant extracts [ 31 , 32 ], chemical reduction by NaBH 4 [ 33 , 34 ], and solvothermal processes [ 35 , 36 ], may be applied. There are many works devoted to the synthesis of AgNi nanoparticles.…”