Recent advances of fabricated and modified Ag, Cu, CuO and ZnO nanoparticles by herbal secondary metabolites, cellulose and pectin polymers for antimicrobial applications

Antibiotic resistance is a major hindrance to defeat pathogenic bacteria and fungi particularly in patients with immunodeficiency diseases. Recently, antimicrobial application of medicinal plant species and herbal polymers including cellulose and pectin to synthesize and modify metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) has had more attention. Several advantages involving high accessibility, eco-friendliness, feasible preparation, biocompatibility, and biodegradability are found to these polymers. By these methods, antifungal and antibacterial anti-infective abilities of NPs can be improved owing to the antimicrobial activities of primary and secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Among the MNPs/MONPs, Ag, Cu, CuO and ZnO NPs have displayed more antimicrobial capacities because of their unique properties such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Therefore, recent advances and challenges related to antibacterial and antifungal effects of three promising NPs are presented in this review to obtain a future viewpoint of anti-infective therapy. [GRAPHICS] .