Antibacterial activity of gold nanoparticles and their toxicity assessment

Abstract

Methods The present study involved the synthesis of gold nanoparticles using a sodium cholate, as both reducing and capping agent and characterization by UVVisible spectroscopy and High ResolutionTransmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The antibacterial activity on significant bacterial species was evaluated by micro broth dilution method. The mechanism for antibacterial action of the gold nanoparticles were studied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that causes oxidative stress to microbial cells and release of intracellular enzyme lactate dehydrogenase into extracellular medium (LDH assay) indicative of loss of cell membrane integrity.