title: Silver nanoparticles: A new view on mechanistic aspects on antimicrobial activity.
abstract: Silver nanoparticles are well known potent antimicrobial agents. Although significant progresses have been achieved on the elucidation of antimicrobial mechanism of silver nanoparticles, the exact mechanism of action is still not completely known. This overview incorporates a retrospective of previous reviews published and recent original contributions on the progress of research on antimicrobial mechanisms of silver nanoparticles. The main topics discussed include release of silver nanoparticles and silver ions, cell membrane damage, DNA interaction, free radical generation, bacterial resistance and the relationship of resistance to silver ions versus resistance to silver nanoparticles. The focus of the overview is to summarize the current knowledge in the field of antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles. The possibility that pathogenic microbes may develop resistance to silver nanoparticles is also discussed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Antibacterial effect of nanoscopic silver generated a lot of interest both in research projects and in practical applications. However, the exact mechanism is still will have to be elucidated. This overview incorporates a retrospective of previous reviews published from 2007 to 2013 and recent original contributions on the progress of research on antimicrobial mechanisms to summarize our current knowledge in the field of antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Biological Chemistry Laboratory, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; NanoBioss, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Brazilian National Nanotechnology Laboratory (LNNano-CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: duran@iqm.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.affiliation: NanoBioss, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Institute of Biology, Urogenital, Carcinogenesis and Immunotherapy Laboratory, University of Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Bispo
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Jesus
authors.affiliation: Exact and Earth Sciences Department, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: amedea.seabra@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Amedea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.affiliation: NanoBioss, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Institute of Biology, Urogenital, Carcinogenesis and Immunotherapy Laboratory, University of Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Fávaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Biology Sciences Center, Londrina State University (UEL), Londrina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gerson
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005609:Free Radicals; D012834:Silver
keywords: Antibacterial; Bacterial resistance; Silver nanoparticles; Toxicity