Graphene oxide as a nanocarrier for gramicidin (GOGD) for high antibacterial performance

Abstract

As a powerful and novel nanocarrier, graphene oxide (GO) is employed to load a water insoluble antibacterial drug, gramicidin (GD), for effective antibacterial treatments. The loaded amount of GD on the surface of GO was calculated and was found to be 14% (wt%). The antibacterial activity of GO modified GD (GOGD) was measured against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using plate counting, optical density (OD₆₀₀), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fluorescence (2D, 3D) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The use of multiple analytical approaches adds certainty to the cytotoxicity assessments of GOGD, which shows better efficiency than GO and GD. GOGD has potential wide-ranging effects against different bacterial strains. Nano-cytotoxicity mechanism was discussed in detail, and controversies in earlier results were refuted.