Antibacterial Potential of Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized From Leaf Extract of Syzygium cumini Against Multidrug-Resistant Urinary Tract Pathogens

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most commonly encountered bacterial infections. Due to the misuse or excessive use of antibiotics, the upsurge of multidrug-resistance cases in UTIs has now become a global threat to public health. Exploring a newer or safer treatment using green synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) is another substitute for eliminating multidrug-resistant pathogens. Methodology: Leaf extract of Syzygium cumini was used for green synthesis of gold NPs. Synthesis of Syzygium cumini gold nanoparticles (ScAu-NPs) was achieved by optimizing various reaction parameters. These ScAu-NPs were characterized through UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction. ScAu-NPs were then processed for antibacterial activity against clinically isolated multidrug-resistant pathogens like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. Results: Characterization of NPs revealed that biosynthesized NPs were spherical in shape. FTIR spectroscopy showed the presence of phenolics and aromatic compounds. Biosynthesized NPs exhibit good antibacterial activity with a significant bacterial reduction seen against all bacterial isolates compared to the controls. Conclusion: From the results of the present study, the formulation of biosynthesized ScAu-NPs can be utilized in drug development for eliminating infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens.