
Although many antimicrobial agents are currently
available for the treatment of microbial infections, the emergence and
spreading of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms is a global problem. To
overcome this issue, we must explore the use of alternative antimicrobial
agents, including naturally-derived agents. In this project,
biopolymer-antibiotic, biopolymer-flavonoid, biopolymer-antibiotic-flavonoid
composite coatings will be deposited onto assays by matrix assisted pulsed
laser evaporation (MAPLE) using a pulsed KrF* excimer laser source (λ = 248 nm,
τ = 25 ns, ν = 10 Hz). FTIR spectroscopy will be used to demonstrate that
MAPLE-transferred materials exhibit chemical properties similar to those of the
starting materials. Atomic force microscopy will confirm that MAPLE may be used
to fabricate thin films with appropriate surface properties for medical use.
The activity of flavonoid-containing films against both Gram- + and Gram- –
bacteria will be examined using in vitro biological assays. The biological properties
to be tested include the microbial viability and adherence to the
flavonoid-containing films, using Gram - and Gram + bacterial strains with
known antibiotic susceptibility behavior, the microbial adherence to the HeLa
cells monolayer grown on the of flavonoid-containing coating, and the
cytotoxicity on eukariotic cells. Our specific goal is to evaluate these
results in comparison to biopolymer-silver nanoparticle coatings as controls.
The proposed system could be used for the development of novel antimicrobial
materials or strategies for fighting medical biofilm pathogens frequently
implicated in the etiology of biofilm associated chronic infections.