Natural Route to a Novel Nanocomposite Biomaterial: An Embodiment for the Abatement of Implant Associated Infection

Nanotechnology is currently emerging as the most effective tool to challenge the unresolved problems of various disciplines including nanomedicine in a variety of ways, thus revolutionizing the field of health care and medicine. With the growing importance of medical implants, devices, and sensors to improve the ´quality of life´ of patients, there comes a major impediment of microbial infections associated with these biomaterials, despite sterilization and aseptic procedures. Recently with the dramatic emergence of multi drug resistant super-bugs, like the ones ´New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase´ (NDM-1), there is a global crisis. We have considered ´mother nature´ as the ´master chemist´ and employed natural herbal routes for the synthesis of a self-sterilizing novel nanocomposite biomaterial as a preventive measure; eliminating conventional methods which give rise to physiologically and environmentally hazardous byproducts, extreme heat, as well as call for potentially toxic chemicals. Fresh rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa (Turmeric) was involved in the preparation of silver nanoparticles for the purpose. The formation of silver nanoparticles and the fabrication of biopolymer based nanocomposite material were investigated through several characterization techniques. Antimicrobial analysis was also done. This material is cost efficient and should be extremely biocompatible, ameliorating the face of existing biomaterials.