From the magic bullet to nanotechnology: nanoantimicrobials as therapeutics to fight multidrug-resistant microorganisms

Abstract

A century ago, Paul Ehrlich, a Nobel laureate in 1907, definedthe concept of ‘‘magic bullet’’ to propose selectivedrug targeting, aiming to deliver drugs to the right place, atthe correct concentration, and for an appropriate duration,without harming the host organism. The global emergenceand spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drugresistant(XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) bacteria havebecome a critical global healthcare concern, which is currentlyconsidered one of the principal threats by different globalhealth organizations due to the limited efficacy of antimicrobial(ATM) agents1. MDR to first-line drugs increase healthcarecosts and generate the need for effective and safe alternativetreatments. However, the number of newly developedand approved ATM drugs has decreased over the past decades.The availability of few effective antimicrobials and the necessityto develop novel strategies and innovative antimicrobialsemphasize the need for novel approaches and different safeand effective alternatives2.