Dual-responsive antibiotic and baicalein co-delivery nanoparticles with enhanced synergistic antibacterial activity

Globally, due to the rapid development of bacterial resistance, bacterial infections lead to significant mortality and morbidity which require efficient strategies to eradicate these infections. Herein, we prepared a dual-responsive synergistic drug delivery nanoparticle carrier (NPS@Bai/Cip), which responds to sub-acid bacterial microenvironments and targets phosphatase or phospholipase at infection sites. Nanoparticles surfaces were positively (10.0 mV) charged under acidic conditions, leading to good bacterial adhesion and enhanced drug accumulation. NPS@Bai/Cip showed good antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against drug-resistant <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>. NPS@Bai/Cip could inhibit the biofilm formation <i>via</i> affecting the swimming, swarming, and twitching motilities of <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. NPS@Bai/Cip was used to treat drug-resistance <i>P. aeruginosa</i>-induced infection in rats by improving wound healing and reducing inflammatory responses. Thus, NPS@Bai/Cip functioned as an antibacterial and antibiofilm agent with good potential for treating bacteria-induced infections.