The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) stabilized with a four-armed star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer [St-P(CL-b-EO)] and its application as a drug delivery vehicle for cephalexin (Cp) was evaluated against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. The prepared AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta sizer and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The antibacterial efficiency of Cp is enhanced several-fold by its delivery through complexation with St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs, monitored by microplate assay and biofilm destruction studies. Finally, the visual destruction of bacterial cells and its biofilms by employing Cp and its conjugates at their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC₅₀), respectively, is observed by topographic imaging by AFM. Enhanced antibacterial activity of St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs loaded Cp is attributed to penetrative nature of the drug cargo St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs towards the bacterial cell wall.

四臂星形聚(ε-己内酯)-嵌段-聚环氧乙烷共聚物[St-P(CL-b-EO)]稳定的银纳米粒子(AgNPs)的抗菌活性及其作为抗菌药物的应用针对致病性金黄色葡萄球菌评估了头孢氨苄 (Cp) 的药物输送载体。通过紫外-可见光谱、傅里叶变换红外光谱、zeta 粒度仪和原子力显微镜（AFM）对制备的 AgNPs 进行了表征。通过与 St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNP 络合，Cp 的抗菌效率提高了数倍，并通过微孔板测定和生物膜破坏研究进行监测。最后，通过 AFM 形貌成像观察分别在最低抑制浓度 (MIC ₅₀ ) 和最低生物膜抑制浓度 (MBIC ₅₀ ) 下使用 Cp 及其缀合物对细菌细胞及其生物膜的视觉破坏。负载 Cp 的 St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs 增强的抗菌活性归因于药物货物 St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs 对细菌细胞壁的渗透性。