title: Oxacillin magnetically targeted for the treatment of Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus infection in rats.
abstract: To evaluate the effect of oxacillin bonded to magnetic nanoparticles in local infection model in rat.
  Twelve Wistar rats weighing 290±18g were randomly divided into four groups (n=6, each) and all rats had a magnet ring sutured on their right thighs. In the biodistribution group rats 0.1mL of 99mTc-magnetite (0.66 MBq) was injected i.v and after 30 minutes, biodistribution of 99mTc-magnetite was evaluated in right and left thighs. The other groups were inoculated with MRSA in each thigh muscles. Group 1 rats were injected i.v. with magnetite, group 2 with Magnetite + Oxacillin, group 3 with saline twice a day. After 24 hours samples of muscle secretion were harvested for microbiological analysis; muscle, lungs and kidneys for histology.
  99mTc-magnetite uptake was three-fold higher in right thigh muscles (with external magnet) than in the left. In magnetite and oxacillin-magnetite groups, bacterial/CFU was significantly lower in thigh muscles than in saline-controls. The inflammatory reaction in muscles and lungs was significantly lower in oxacillin-magnetite group-rats than in other groups (p<0.001) .
  This study confirms the potential antimicrobial activity of magnetic nanoparticles for Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus strains, which in addition to concentrate the antibiotic at the infection site, positively influenced the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Fellow PhD degree, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal-RN, Brazil. Acquisition and interpretation of data, technical procedures, manuscript preparation.
authors.forename: Juliana Fernandes de
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Fellow PhD degree, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal-RN, Brazil. Acquisition and interpretation of data, technical procedures, manuscript preparation.
authors.forename: Ítalo Medeiros de
authors.initials: ÍM
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Fellow PhD degree, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal-RN, Brazil. Acquisition and interpretation of data, technical procedures, manuscript preparation.
authors.forename: Keyla Borges Ferreira
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Full Professor, Chairman, Nucleus of Experimental Surgery, UFRN, Natal-RN, Brazil. CNPq/PQ.2 Fellowship. Conception, design, intellectual and scientific content of the study; analysis and interpretation of data; critical revision.
authors.forename: Aldo Cunha
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, UFRN, Natal-RN, Brazil. CNPq/PQ.1D Fellowship. Conception, design, intellectual and scientific content of the study; analysis and interpretation of data; critical revision.
authors.forename: Artur da Silva
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Carriço
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010068:Oxacillin