LAUSR

Abstract Antimycotic behavior of zinc oxide decorated with silver nanoparticles (ZnO-AgNPs) against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) was investigated on this work. Silver decoration size was modulated during Ag2O and Ag0 synthesis in aqueous solution at pH 11, 12 and 14, obtaining the smallest size at pH 12 and the largest at pH 14. In ex-situ tests, ZnO-AgNPs prevents successfully the growth of T. mentagrophytes, the percent mycelial inhibition (PMI) of formula F12 was 91.76% while formulas F12 and F14 was 100%, they also not present toxicity in cell viability, even the formula F12 promoted cell growth. Additionally, once T. mentagrophytes has grown it turns in a hydrophobic biofilm, whose water contact angle (WCA) was 127 ± 3°, showing that no aqueous solution will have antimycotic activity against T. mentagrophytes biofilm. It has been propose a ZnO-AgNPs suspension in a hydrophobic fluid (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) that allowed to the particles permeate and permitted a direct contact with the biofilm, which was eliminated successfully. These results suggest that ZnO-AgNPs in a hydrophobic fluid emerge as a viable alternative for fungal infections treatment.