Synthesis and effect of silver nanoparticles on the antibacterial activity of different antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been known to have inhibitory and bactericidal effects. Resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has emerged in recent years and is a major health problem. The combination effects of Ag-NPs with the antibacterial activity of antibiotics have not been studied. Here, we report on the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles of silver using a reduction of aqueous Ag+ ion with the culture supernatants of Klebsiella pneumoniae . Also in this article these nanoparticles are evaluated for their part in increasing the antimicrobial activities of various antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . The antibacterial activities of penicillin G, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and vancomycin were increased in the presence of Ag-NPs against both test strains. The highest enhancing effects were observed for vancomycin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G against S. aureus.