Synergistic Antimicrobial Activity of Magnetite and Vancomycin-Loaded Mesoporous Silica Embedded in Alginate Films
Georgiana Dolete,
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie,
Cristina Chircov,
Bogdan Purcăreanu,
Ludmila Motelica,
Alina Moroșan,
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea,
Denisa Ficai,
Ecaterina Andronescu,
Lia-Mara Dițu
Affiliations
Georgiana Dolete
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Cristina Chircov
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdan Purcăreanu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ludmila Motelica
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alina Moroșan
Department of Organic Chemistry “Costin Nenițescu”, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea
National Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Splaiul Independenței 313, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Denisa Ficai
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ecaterina Andronescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gh. Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Lia-Mara Dițu
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 1-3 Aleea Portocalelor, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
The aim of the present study was to obtain a hydrogel-based film as a carrier for the sustained and controlled release of vancomycin, an antibiotic commonly used in various types of infections. Considering the high-water solubility of vancomycin (>50 mg/mL) and the aqueous medium underlying the exudates, a prolonged release of vancomycin from an MCM-41 carrier was sought. The present work focused on the synthesis of malic acid coated magnetite (Fe3O4/malic) by co-precipitation, synthesis of MCM-41 by a sol-gel method and loading of MCM-41 with vancomycin, and their use in alginate films for wound dressing. The nanoparticles obtained were physically mixed and embedded in the alginate gel. Prior to incorporation, the nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy, TGA-DSC and DLS. The films were prepared by a simple casting method and were further cross-linked and examined for possible heterogeneities by means of FT-IR microscopy and SEM. The degree of swelling and the water vapor transmission rate were determined, considering their potential use as wound dressings. The obtained films show morpho-structural homogeneity, sustained release over 48 h and a strong synergistic enhancement of the antimicrobial activity as a consequence of the hybrid nature of these films. The antimicrobial efficacy was tested against S. aureus, two strains of E. faecalis (including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, VRE) and C. albicans. The incorporation of magnetite was also considered as an external triggering component in case the films were used as a magneto-responsive smart dressing to stimulate vancomycin diffusion.
