Almost after 40 years of the successful discovery and culture of H. pylori, scientists are facing new strategies for resistance of this bacterium against antibiotics, which have created new challenges in the world of biomedicine. Recently, nanotechnology using nanoscale materials is increasingly being utilized for clinical applications, especially as a new paradigm against multidrug-resistant organisms. In this study, for the first time, anti- H. pylori activity of magnetic nanoparticles called SPIONs (Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles), which were coated with a layer of liposomes, carry the antimicrobial peptide pexiganan, was assessed using the well-diffusion method.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method with a size of about 10 nm. After synthesizing and purifying the nanoparticles, they were coated with a layer of liposomal bilayer by thin-film hydration to maximize their biocompatibility. Then, spontaneously, the antimicrobial peptide of Pexiganan was attached to the magnetoliposomes. Antibacterial activity of synthetic nanoparticles with and without pexiganan was assessed against three clinical isolates of H. pylori using the well-diffusion method.

At the concentration of 100%, 75%, and 50% of synthetic nanoparticles, no visible growth was observed on the plate which indicates strong anti- H. pylori activity. Concentrations less than 50% did not have an inhibitory effect. There was no difference between the activity of nanoparticles with and without antimicrobial peptides.

The results indicate that the prepared compound can prevent the growth of H. pylori and might be a suitable alternative to develop as an antibacterial agent against the multidrug-resistant strains of H. pylori. Further in vitro and in vivo studies may lead to valuable findings in the treatment of H. pylori infection.