Evidence mapPaperPMID 41691249Full record

ArticleMicrobial cell factories2026

A novel green synthesized ZnO-based antimicrobial nanocomposite: synergistic action, in vitro cytotoxicity, and molecular docking studies of ceftazidime, metformin, and chitosan against multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica.

Nada M Elmayah, Mohamed I Abou-Dobara, Zakaria A M Baka, Abdelaziz Elgaml, Ahmed E Khodir, Hanaa M Salama, Mohamed M El-Zahed

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Article in Microbial cell factories, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Nada M ElmayahDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4507-6303
Mohamed I Abou-DobaraDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7812-0764
Zakaria A M BakaDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2006-7301
Abdelaziz ElgamlDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta, 34518, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6790-5849
Ahmed E KhodirDepartment of Pharmacology and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta, 34518, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5971-0838
Hanaa M SalamaChemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
Mohamed M El-ZahedDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt. mohamed.marzouq91@du.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2694-3720

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe alarming rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, particularly Salmonella spp., has prompted an urgent search for alternative and synergistic antimicrobial strategies. In this study, a novel, green, and multicomponent nanocomposite was synthesized by integrating zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), chitosan (CS), the β-lactam antibiotic ceftazidime (CAZ), and the antidiabetic agent metformin (MTF) straightforward and economical manner. METHODS AND

resultsBacillus subtilis strain ATCC 6633 was used to biosynthesize ZnO NPs, acting as a reliable bio-nanofactory. Various characterization techniques such as FTIR, XRD, TEM, and zeta potential analysis verified the successful integration and structural integrity of the ZnO NPs within the CS nanocomposite containing CAZ and MTF (ZnO/CS/CAZ/MTF). The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of proteins that act as binding and supportive agents during the biosynthesis process. The produced nanomaterials have a significant positive surface charge of +28.61 mV, which enhances their stability. The particle sizes of the NPs ranged from 9.93 to 17.44 nm. The nanocomposite exhibited strong antibacterial activity against MDR Salmonella enterica subsp., enterica serovar Typhi ATCC 19214, showing a significantly increased inhibition zone of 42 mm and a greatly reduced minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 8 µg/ml, compared to the separate components. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value was found to be consistent with the MIC result, emphasizing the potent bactericidal action of the prepared nanocomposite. In silico molecular docking further supported these findings by revealing favorable interactions between the nanocomposite constituents and the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (PDB ID: 4W4M) and S. typhi (PDB ID: 3UU2). Key interactions included hydrogen bonding, ionic forces, and metal coordination with critical residues. Cytotoxicity assessment using WI-38 lung fibroblast cells revealed an IC₅₀ of 84.26 µg/ml, indicating acceptable preliminary biocompatibility.

conclusionsThe present study demonstrates the novelty of a ZnO-based multicomponent nanocomposite that uniquely integrates CAZ, MTF, and CS. This novel formulation exhibited synergistic antibacterial effects against multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica alongside acceptable in vitro safety. The findings underscore the potential of microbially synthesized nanocomposites as promising candidates for combating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and support further preclinical investigations.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsCeftazidimeChitosanMetforminNanocompositesSalmonella entericaZinc OxideBacillus subtilisDrug Resistance, Multiple, BacterialDrug SynergismGreen Chemistry TechnologyHumansMicrobial Sensitivity TestsMolecular Docking SimulationAnti-Bacterial AgentsCeftazidimeChitosanMetforminZinc OxideAntibacterial activityCeftazidime synergyChitosan-based nanocompositesMolecular docking analysisMultidrug-resistant SalmonellaZinc oxide nanoparticles

Identifiers

PMID41691249
PMCPMC12931090

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.