Evaluation of Antibacterial Properties of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized using Echinops Persicus Extract Coated with Chloramphenicol

Introduction: The use of plants is one of the most effective methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles based on green chemistry. The magnetic properties of nanoparticles let the attached drugs conduct by a magnetic field in the body. This study aimed to use the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via green chemistry as a carrier for the chloramphenicol drug delivery system.   Materials & Methods: Extraction of Echinops Persicus was performed at 60°C by water solvent. Iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using plant extract as a reducing agent. The synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), particle size analyzer (PSA), and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The antibacterial activity of coated nanoparticles was also investigated in this study.   Findings: The results of the XRD showed the cubic shape of iron oxide nanoparticles. The mean size of the nanoparticles was determined to be in the range of 16-56 nm. The coating of chloramphenicol on iron oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, FT-IR confirmed the functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with chloramphenicol. The magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chloramphenicol showed good antibacterial activity against infectious Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The highest antimicrobial activity and the diameter of the growth inhibition zone of Staphylococcus aureus (11.25±0.35) and Escherichia coli (9.5±0.17) were determined at a concentration of 100 μg/ml.   Discussions & Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the coating of Iron oxide nanoparticles with chloramphenicol antibiotics increased the antimicrobial properties of nanoparticles and confirmed the appropriateness of the loading method of chloramphenicol antibiotics.