Abstract:

Objective  This study aims to compare and determine a kind of nano-hydroxyapatite composite material with good antibacterial efficacy on Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in vitro. Methods  We investigated the antimicrobial activity of four kinds of nano-hydroxyapatite composites, namely, silver/hydroxyapatite composite nanoparticles (Ag/nHA), yttrium/hydroxyapatite composite nanoparticles (Yi/nHA), cerium/hydroxyapatite composite nanoparticles (Ce/nHA), and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHA), against E. faecalis in vitro using the agar diffusion and broth dilution method by measuring the growth inhibition zone and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), respectively. Results  The agar diffusion test results showed that Ag/nHA displayed an obvious growth inhibition zone, whereas Yi/nHA, Ce/nHA, and nHA showed no influence on E. faecalis. The MIC value of Ag/nHA was 1.0 g·L^-1, and the three other materials had no effect on E. faecalis even at the high concentration of 32.0 g·L^-1. Conclusion  Ag/nHA display a potential antimicrobial efficacy to planktonic E. faecalis. Whereas, the three other kinds of nano-hydroxyapatite composites (Yi/nHA, Ce/nHA, nHA) show no influence.

Key words: nano-hydroxyapatite, Enterococcus faecalis, antibacterial activity