AVCSNPs, a novel alternative antibiotic derived from chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Aloe Vera flavonoids
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59796/jcst.V16N2.2026.174Keywords:
chitosan nanoparticles, Aloe vera flavonoids, aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2”)-Ia, mecA gene, green synthesis, AVCSNPsAbstract
The treatment of burn and wound infections is becoming more challenging due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study investigated the synergistic antibacterial efficacy of green-synthesized chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) loaded with Aloe vera gel flavonoid extract (designated AVCSNPs), which were effective against MDR and XDR Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The primary goal was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of AVCSNPs compared with flavonoid extract alone. Using AVCSNPs as an alternative to antibiotics for Staphylococcus aureus is a low-toxicity and cost-effective approach. The study also examined how AVCSNPs affected the expression of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, such as mecA and aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia. Clinical samples were obtained from Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital and Burns Hospital in Baghdad. The MIC of the flavonoid extract was determined. AVCSNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and particle size analysis after biosynthesis. Using log2-fold change analysis, the effects of treatment on gene expression were investigated. AVCSNPs exhibited greater antibacterial activity than the flavonoid extract, with a MIC of 18.75 µg/mL compared with 50 µg/mL. Studying genes affected by AVCSNPs was essential for understanding antibiotic resistance. Treatment with AVCSNPs significantly reduced the expression of the mecA gene, with a mean log2-fold decrease of -14.64. This notable decline indicates that nanoparticles may circumvent the primary resistance mechanism in MRSA bacteria. However, although the decline was less pronounced (-3.37), the expression of the aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia gene also declined. Due to their potent and targeted action on the mecA gene, AVCSNPs may be a viable and biocompatible alternative to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of MRSA infections.
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