Silver nanoparticles constitute a very promising approach for the development of new
antimicrobial systems. Nanoparticulate objects can bring significant improvements in the
antibacterial activity of this element, through specific effect such as an adsorption at bacterial
surfaces. However, the mechanism of action is essentially driven by the oxidative dissolution
of the nanoparticles, as indicated by recent direct observations. The role of Ag+ release in
the action mechanism was also indirectly observed in numerous studies, and explains the …

The increase of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has become a major concern for successful
diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Over the past few decades, significant
progress has been achieved on the development of nanotechnology‐based medicines for
combating multidrug resistance in microorganisms. Among this, silver nanoparticles
(AgNPs) hold great promise in addressing this challenge due to their broad‐spectrum and
robust antimicrobial properties. This review illustrates the antibacterial mechanisms of silver …