Cytotoxicity and anti-biofilm activities of biogenic cadmium nanoparticles and cadmium nitrate: a preliminary study

Abstract Cadmium nanoparticles (Cd NPs) were prepared using Artemisia persica extract and microwave irradiation in this research. Cd NPs and Cd (NO3)2 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity, antibacterial, anti-biofilm, and biocompatibility. It was found that Cd NPs (11.2–18.6 nm) had a lower cytotoxic effect than Cd (NO3)2 against both HepG2 and HUVEC cells. The antibacterial activity of Cd NPs against clinically isolated Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was above 2560 μg mL-1. The Cd NPs (640 μg mL-1) decreased the biofilm formation by S. aureus, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa to 24.6%, 31.6%, and 26.4%, respectively. Adding Cd NPs (100 μg/disc) to commercial antibiotic discs increased the antibacterial activity of vancomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, streptomycin, meropenem, and kanamycin against Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, significantly. The Cd NPs (640 μg mL-1) exhibited low hemolysis activity. More research should be conducted to understand the related cytotoxicity and antibacterial mechanisms of Cd NPs.