Synergistic Effect of Artemisia scoparia Extract and TiO2 Nanoparticles on Antibiotic Resistance of Klebsiella pnemoniae

This study aimed to assess antibacterial properties of Artemisia scoparia, Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and their synergistic effect on clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia.

In this experimental study, 30 isolates of K. pneumonia were collected from patients’ sputum in the microbiology lab of Masih Daneshvari hospital during 3 months. Then biochemical tests were performed for strain confirming. Moreover, genomic DNA was extracted from all the isolates, and hly gene was detected in the isolates via PCR method. The susceptibility of the isolates to 10 antibiotics was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. Then minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of all components (Artemisia extract, TiO2, and their combination) was assessed using the microdilution method against the isolates.

The results indicated that simultaneous use of hydro-alcoholic extract of A. scoparia and titanium dioxide nanoparticles exhibited a significant synergistic antibacterial effect on 25 clinical isolates in comparison with the use of extract or nanoparticles alone.

It seems that simultaneous use of Artemisia herbal extracts and nanoparticles is beneficial in increasing their antibacterial effect and may decrease antibiotics consumption.