This study systematically summarizes the applications of metal, organic, and carbon-based nanomaterials in antifungal biofilm treatments, revealing their potential in reducing drug resistance. It provides new strategies for antifungal therapy with significant clinical translational value.
Literature Overview
The study, titled 'Fungal Biofilm: An Overview of the Latest Nano-Strategies' and published in Antibiotics, reviews and summarizes recent nanomaterial strategies for fungal biofilm therapy. The article highlights that fungal biofilm formation significantly complicates antifungal treatment, serving as a key factor in clinical therapeutic failures. With the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens like Candida auris, the limitations of traditional treatment approaches become more pronounced. Nanomaterials have emerged as a research hotspot due to their unique physicochemical properties and antimicrobial mechanisms.
Background Knowledge
Fungal biofilms are microbial communities encased in extracellular polymeric substances (ECM), exhibiting up to 2000-fold higher drug resistance compared to planktonic cells. Major pathogenic fungi such as Candida, Aspergillus, , and Fusarium can form biofilms, leading to invasive infections, catheter-related infections, and dermatophytosis. Current treatments for biofilm-associated infections often rely on high-dose medications or surgical removal, which are associated with significant side effects and costs. Nanomaterials offer potential alternative therapies due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low resistance potential, and controlled release properties. However, challenges remain regarding their stability, biocompatibility, and in vivo toxicity.
Research Methods and Experiments
The study systematically searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases for literature from 2015 to June 2025 using keyword combinations such as 'nanomaterials' and 'fungal biofilm', 'Candida biofilm', 'Aspergillus biofilm', etc. Inclusion criteria required material characterization experiments, while studies solely using fungal-synthesized nanomaterials were excluded. The research focused on analyzing nanomaterial types, coatings, synthesis methods, and their inhibitory effects on different fungal biofilms.
Key Conclusions and Perspectives
Research Significance and Prospects
This research provides a systematic review for nanomaterial development in antifungal biofilm applications, identifying future research priorities including stability enhancement, biocompatibility optimization, and toxicity mitigation. The study emphasizes that combination therapies with conventional antifungals, targeted delivery systems, and in vivo validation experiments will represent critical research directions for clinical translation.
Conclusion
This systematic evaluation highlights nanomaterials' potential in overcoming biofilm-associated drug resistance. While metallic nanomaterials (e.g., Ag, Au) demonstrate superior anti-biofilm activity, their in vivo toxicity and stability remain key challenges. Future research should focus on improving biocompatibility, optimizing targeted delivery mechanisms, and establishing multi-species fungal biofilm models. Additionally, synergistic treatment strategies combining nanomaterials with existing antifungal agents may offer safer clinical alternatives. The study provides theoretical foundations and experimental evidence for developing novel anti-biofilm materials, opening new avenues for antifungal therapy.
