Synergistic effect of Polyhydroxybutyrate nanoparticle on the susceptibility of Escherichia coli to cefotaxime in vitro

PHB Nanoparticles Enhance Cefotaxime Activity Against E. coli

Authors

  • Kanika Aggarwal Sophisticated instruments, Center Panjabi University, Patiala. 147002, India. Author
    • Ali Hmood AL-Saadi Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq. Author
      • Mehdi Meskini Heydarlou Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Okan University, Istanbul, Türkiye. Author
        • Mamta Sharma Microbiology Department, Shoolini Institute of life sciences and Business Management, Solan (Himachal Pradesh), 173212, India. Author
          • Sultan M. Alshahrani College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Alfaraa, Abha, 62223, Saudi Arabia Author

            DOI:

            https://doi.org/10.65329/wjeb.v14.01.07

            Keywords:

            Antimicrobial resistance; Biofilm eradication; Biopolymer nanoparticles; Cefotaxime; Drug-resistant; Green nanotechnology; Nanomedicine; PHP-NPs; Uropathogenic E. coli.

            Abstract

            Multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli poses a major therapeutic challenge. Nanotechnology is an alternative strategy to improve the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics. The synergistic effect of nanoparticles in restoring antibiotic susceptibility is scarce in the literature. The study aims to evaluate the synergistic effect of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanoparticles on UPEC susceptibility to cefotaxime (CTX) using a checkerboard assay. The effect of the combination on UPEC's ability to form biofilms was evaluated. The UPEC was isolated from 83 urine samples. The most isolates were resistant to CTX (5/10), and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from 0.062 to 256 µg/mL. Biofilm formation showed a significant correlation with resistance to CTX. The PHB NPs were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, which revealed a diameter of 10-75 nm, and by FTIR spectroscopy, which confirmed polymer integrity. The cytotoxicity assessment against MCR-7 cells yielded an IC50 of 52.4 µg/mL. Checkboard microdilution assays against the resistant and strong biofilm-form isolates of E. coli (Ec9) showed that PHB NPs enhanced CTX activity, decreasing its MIC from 250 µg/mL to 62.5 µg/m. The combination of ¼ MIC PHB NPs produced the lowest fractional inhibitory concentration (FICI; 0.50), indicating a synergistic interaction. The sub-MIC combination of the two agents significantly reduced biofilm formation compared to either agent alone, resulting in an optical density (OD) decrease from 0.83 to 0.13. From the current study, it can be concluded that PHB NPs represent a promising adjunctive strategy for restoring antibiotic activity. These results need further research to achieve the final goal of reactivating conventional antibiotics.

            Author Biographies

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            2026-06-27

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            Volume 14, Number 1 ( January - July 2026)

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            How to Cite

            [1]
            Aggarwal, K. et al. trans. 2026. Synergistic effect of Polyhydroxybutyrate nanoparticle on the susceptibility of Escherichia coli to cefotaxime in vitro: PHB Nanoparticles Enhance Cefotaxime Activity Against E. coli. World Journal of Experimental Biosciences. 14, 1 (Jun. 2026), 38–44. DOI:https://doi.org/10.65329/wjeb.v14.01.07.