Cobalt Copper Glycerate Hollow Nanospheres as Antibacterial Agents

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent threat to human health. Metal–organic complexes are promising antibacterial candidates because they have a unique antimicrobial advantage; however, they have had limited research. In this work, we report the controlled synthesis of the binary metal glycerol complex cobalt copper glycerate in the form of hollow nanospheres (CCG-HNSs) via a solvothermal method. Benefiting from the enhanced lipophilicity of the coordination bonds between the metal ions and the glycerol ligands, the CCG-HNSs can easily attach and penetrate the bacterial membrane, thereby enhancing the damage to bacterial membranes and microorganisms. In addition, the hollow structure and large surface area of the CCG-HNSs lead to an enhanced peroxidase-like activity, producing a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that kill bacteria. According to our in vitro bacterial experiments, the CCG-HNSs show an excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. By investigating the antibacterial mechanism of the CCG-HNSs, we determined that the main causes of bacterial death are the consumption of glutathione and damage to the cell membranes. Therefore, CCG-HNSs are expected to be good antibacterial agents and provide new ideas for clinical antibacterial research.