The need for innovative antimicrobial agents has become increasingly urgent due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and the persistent threat of infections acquired during hospital stays.
Traditional antibiotics and antiseptics are often ineffective against these resilient microorganisms, leading to severe health complications and increased healthcare costs. Therefore, researchers are exploring alternative solutions that can effectively target and eliminate these harmful pathogens. A promising development is the creation of an intelligent “nanokiller” derived from a component of cinnamon essential oil, which offers a novel approach to combating these microbial threats.
A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomaterials y Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) has harnessed the antimicrobial properties of cinnamaldehyde, a key component of cinnamon essential oil, to develop this innovative nanodevice. Their findings, published in the journal Biomaterials Advances, demonstrate the significant potential of this nanokiller in addressing various pathogenic microorganisms.
The newly developed nanodevice has shown remarkable efficacy against several dangerous pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. These pathogens are responsible for a range of infections, from foodborne illnesses and wastewater contamination to serious nosocomial infections. The ability to effectively eliminate these pathogens could revolutionise infection control in various settings, including healthcare facilities, food processing, and environmental management.
Escherichia coli, while typically harmless, includes strains that can cause severe abdominal cramps, acute diarrhoea, and vomiting. Staphylococcus aureus can lead to skin infections, bloodstream infections, osteomyelitis, and pneumonia. Candida albicans, a common fungus, is notorious for causing diseases such as candidemia and invasive candidiasis. The versatility of the nanokiller in targeting these diverse microorganisms highlights its potential as a comprehensive antimicrobial agent.
The team from the IDM-CIBER NanoSens group has outlined the practical applications of this nanokiller. “For example, we could create a spray, make a formulation based on water and other compounds, and apply it directly. We could make a water-based formulation in the field and spray it directly, like any pesticide today. And in hospitals, it could be applied on bandages, and we could even try to make a capsule that could be taken orally,” explains Andrea Bernardos, a researcher in the NanoSens group at the Inter-University Institute for Molecular Recognition Research and Technological Development (IDM).
The nanodevice’s efficacy is significantly higher compared to free cinnamaldehyde. The encapsulated form is approximately 52 times more effective against Escherichia coli, 60 times more effective against Staphylococcus aureus, and 7 times more effective against Candida albicans. This improvement is attributed to the reduced volatility of cinnamaldehyde when encapsulated in a porous silica matrix and the increased local concentration of the compound when released in the presence of microorganisms.
“The increase in the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil component is possible thanks to the decrease in its volatility due to its encapsulation in a porous silica matrix and the increase in its local concentration when released due to the presence of the microorganisms,” says Bernardos.
One of the most notable advantages of this nanokiller is its high antimicrobial activity at very low doses. The nanodevice enhances the properties of free cinnamaldehyde, reducing the biocidal dose by approximately 98% for bacterial strains (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and 72% for the yeast strain (Candida albicans).
“Moreover, this type of device containing natural biocides (such as essential oil components) whose release is controlled by the presence of pathogens could also be applied in fields such as biomedicine, food technology, agriculture, and many others,” concludes Ángela Morellá-Aucejo, also an IDM researcher at the Universitat Politècnica de València.
The development of this intelligent nanokiller represents a significant step forward in the fight against antibiotic-resistant pathogens and nosocomial infections. Its potential applications across various industries underscore the importance of continued research and innovation in antimicrobial technologies. By leveraging the natural properties of essential oils and advanced nanotechnology, this new approach could pave the way for more effective and sustainable antimicrobial strategies.
Author:
Kate Sivess-Symes
Content Producer and Writer
News
GHCE Concept
From the preface of the book Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artificial Intelligence, Edited by Frank Boehm: Since the publication of my first book (Nanomedical Device and Systems [...]
Human Bodies Are Producing Two Billion Tons of CO2 a Year
A new study reveals that the amount of carbon dioxide produced by human metabolism has increased dramatically over three decades. The carbon dioxide produced by human bodies as they convert food into energy increased [...]
A Hidden DNA Mechanism Could Explain How 20% of Human Cancers Develop
Researchers have identified an unexpected molecular vulnerability in cancers carrying BAF mutations. Mutations found in roughly 20% of human cancers may promote tumor growth by changing how DNA is organized inside cells. Researchers have [...]
Ebola kills over 5,300 in fastest-growing outbreak on record
Africa’s latest Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 5,400 people, the vast majority of them in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the continent’s top health agency. Africa Centres for Disease Control and [...]
China makes early progress in using sound waves to stimulate damaged brains
Chinese researchers are testing whether focused ultrasound can help restore consciousness in patients with severe brain injuries, adding to a growing international effort to use sound waves to stimulate deep brain structures without surgery. [...]
Micro-drones fly through the body thanks to ultrasound
At the EPFL, micro-drones have been developed that can be moved without a motor or battery.No motors, no batteries, no electronics on board, just small cavities that convert sound waves into thrust: this is [...]
A Single Enzyme Could Hold the Key to Treating a Devastating Brain Disorder
Blocking an enzyme’s production restored brain growth and healthy behaviors in mice engineered to develop Angelman syndrome, pointing to a possible treatment target. Children with Angelman syndrome begin to show difficulties with thinking and [...]
Scientists Develop a Clever New Way To Kill Cancer Cells From the Inside
Scientists have developed an experimental strategy that exploits a chemical byproduct of cancer cells to produce anticancer drugs directly inside them. Scientists in Japan have developed an experimental method that uses a chemical produced [...]
Our books are available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
After only a short training, people in a coma managed to send targeted signals
Researchers have succeeded in communicating with brain-injured patients who are unconscious. They see enormous potential in this for future treatments. Patients who lie motionless in bed after a severe brain injury and do not [...]
MIT Scientists Reprogram Immune Cells Inside the Body To Destroy Cancer
Natural killer cells reprogrammed inside mice eliminated lymphoma tumors and helped damaged livers heal, though whether this approach could help people with cancer or autoimmune disease remains unknown. To make a cancer treatment from [...]
Melanoma mRNA Vaccine Shows Promise in Preventing Disease Recurrence
Key takeaways: Phase 3 trial finds personalized intismeran plus pembrolizumab may better prevent high-risk melanoma recurrence after surgery The trial enrolled 1,137 patients and builds on phase 2 results showing about half the recurrence [...]
Scientists Discover a Powerful New Weapon Against a Dangerous Gut Infection
The promise of an experimental treatment for C. difficile gut infections lies partly in the bacteria it leaves alive, according to early laboratory and mouse research. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can disrupt the gut’s microbial community, [...]
Your Bones May Hold a Hidden Clue to Blood Cancer Survival
For people with blood cancers called myelodysplastic syndromes, osteoporosis may hold an overlooked clue to survival, a three-year observational study suggests. In blood cancers that develop in the bone marrow, an important clue to [...]
Researchers Discover What Reading for Pleasure May Be Doing to Your Brain
Reading for pleasure may offer surprising benefits for the brain, with research linking the habit to better mental health, stronger cognitive abilities, and a lower risk of dementia. Reading for pleasure may do far [...]
Scientists Discover a Hidden Trigger That Keeps Inflammation Alive
Inflammation persists after proteins detach from immune receptors, revealing a potential target for autoimmune treatments. Since a Nobel Prize-winning discovery in the 1990s identified molecules called Toll-like Receptors as the guardians of the human [...]
