Valeria Ambrogi1, Donatella Pietrella2, Morena Nocchetti3, Serena Casagrande4, Veronica Moretti4, Stefania De Marco2, Maurizio Ricci4. 1. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Via del Liceo 1, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: valeria.ambrogi@unipg.it. 2. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory, Via del Giochetto, University of Perugia, 06122 Perugia, Italy. 3. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Via Elce di Sotto 8, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy. 4. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Via del Liceo 1, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS: Chlorhexidine (CLX) is a good antimicrobial agent, but its use in treatment of wounds is limited because of its cytotoxicity towards human fibroblasts. A delivery system, able to release CLX in a localized and prolonged manner, could guarantee antimicrobial activity with reduced cytotoxic. Thus in this work the preparation and characterization of chitosan/montmorillonite composite films containing CLX, able to offer a prolonged CLX release, is described. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities and cytotoxicity of films were investigated. EXPERIMENTAL: CLX was intercalated between the layers of montmorillonite (MONT-Na), and the intercalated product (MONT-CLX) was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Then chitosan/MONT-CLX films were prepared and characterized. For comparison, films loaded with neat CLX and MONT-Na/CLX were prepared. All prepared films were tested for their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. Cytotoxicity towards human skin keratinocytes and human fibroblasts HuDe was evaluated as well. FINDINGS: All prepared films showed good antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. As concerns cytotoxicity the film containing MONT-CLX at 1% CLX concentration resulted no cytotoxic. These results confirm the potential use of chitosan films containing MONT-CLX as a potential wound dressing material to prevent microbial colonization in wounds.
HYPOTHESIS: Chlorhexidine (CLX) is a good antimicrobial agent, but its use in treatment of wounds is limited because of its cytotoxicity towards human fibroblasts. A delivery system, able to release CLX in a localized and prolonged manner, could guarantee antimicrobial activity with reduced cytotoxic. Thus in this work the preparation and characterization of chitosan/montmorillonite composite films containing CLX, able to offer a prolonged CLX release, is described. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities and cytotoxicity of films were investigated. EXPERIMENTAL: CLX was intercalated between the layers of montmorillonite (MONT-Na), and the intercalated product (MONT-CLX) was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Then chitosan/MONT-CLX films were prepared and characterized. For comparison, films loaded with neat CLX and MONT-Na/CLX were prepared. All prepared films were tested for their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. Cytotoxicity towards human skin keratinocytes and human fibroblasts HuDe was evaluated as well. FINDINGS: All prepared films showed good antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. As concerns cytotoxicity the film containing MONT-CLX at 1% CLX concentration resulted no cytotoxic. These results confirm the potential use of chitosan films containing MONT-CLX as a potential wound dressing material to prevent microbial colonization in wounds.