Light controllable chitosan micelles with ROS generation and essential oil release for the treatment of bacterial biofilm.

Bacterial biofilms are widely associated with persistent infections and food contamination. High resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents resulted in an urgent need for novel formulation to eliminate these bacterial communities. Herein we fabricated light controllable chitosan micelles loading with thymol (T-TCP) for elimination of biofilm. Due to the exterior chitosan, T-TCP micelles easily bind to negative biofilm through electrostatic interaction and efficiently deliver the essential oil payloads. Under irradiation, T-TCP micelles generated ROS, which triggered simultaneous thymol release and also resulted in additional ROS-inducing bactericidal effects, both effectively eradicating biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. This formulation provided a platform for other water-insoluble antimicrobials and might be used as a potent and controllable solution to biofilm fighting.

Spectroscopic investigations on the photodegradation of toluidine blue dye using cadmium sulphide nanoparticles prepared by a novel method.

A novel method to prepare cadmium sulphide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) possessing nearly uniform size was adopted using eggshell membrane (ESM), under different pH conditions. Significant yield of CdS NPs with smallest possible size was obtained by increasing the pH of the reaction medium from acidic to alkaline. The above prepared CdS NPs have been characterized by UV-vis absorption as well as emission spectra, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The efficiency of the above prepared CdS NPs as a catalyst for the photodegradation of toluidine blue (TB) dye, as a function of pH as well as the ratio between the catalyst and the substrate was studied after irradiation with UV light. The results showed that an efficient interaction took place between the catalyst and the substrate to cause degradation of the selected dye. A maximum degradation of toluidine blue dye (90%) was observed at pH 8 which is higher than that of the efficiencies at pH 4 and pH 6.

Utilização da terapia fotodinâmica associada ou não ao hipoclorito de sódio na instrumentação de canais radiculares contaminados com Enterococcus faecalis / The use of photodynamic therapy associated or not to sodium hypochlorite in the instrumentation of radicular canals contaminated by Enterococcus faecalis

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a ação do laser de baixa intensidade associado ao corante azul de toluidina, como agente bactericida durante a fase de instrumentação dos canais radiculares, comparando sua utilização associada ou não ao hipoclorito de sódio 0,5%. Para tal, 90 caninos humanos foram instrumentados, autoclavados e 88 imersos em caldo TSB (Tryptcase Soy Broth). Em seguida foram inoculados com suspensão de E. faecalis e incubados em estufa a 37°C, por 72 horas, para permitir a formação do biofilme. As amostras foram randomicamente divididas em 4 grupos de 22 dentes cada e 1 grupo controle negativo com 2 dentes. Grupo I: reinstrumentados e irrigados com soro fisiológico com posterior aplicação de terapia fotodinâmica (PDT); Grupo II: reinstrumentados e irrigados com hipoclorito de sódio a 0,5% com posterior aplicação de PDT; Grupo III: reinstrumentados e irrigados com hipoclorito de sódio a 0,5%; Grupo IV controle positivo: não foi realizado nenhum tipo de tratamento antes da coleta do material e Grupo V controle negativo: não foram contaminados. Para a coleta da dentina intracanal utilizou-se uma broca Gates Glidden número 6. A atividade antimicrobiana foi avaliada por meio da contagem de UFCs (unidades formadoras de colônias). Os dentes foram então imersos em meio seletivo para enterococos, incubados em estufa a 37º C por 72 horas e avaliados quanto à alteração de coloração do meio. Todas as amostras, exceto o controle negativo, apresentaram-se positivas. Com a finalidade de certificar-se da formação do biofilme e da confirmação dos resultados das contagens das UFCs, 9 amostras foram avaliadas ao MEV (microscopia eletrônica de varredura)...

This current paper aims to assess the action of low-intensity laser together with toluidine blue as a bactericidal agent during the instrumentation phase of radicular canals, comparing its associated or non-associated use with sodium hypochlorite 0.5%. To do so, 90 human canines were instrumented, autoclaved, and 88 were immersed into TSB, and were then inoculated with an E. faecalis suspension and brought into an incubator at 37 degrees Celsius for 72 hours in order to allow the formation of biofilm. The samples were randomly divided into 5 groups, 4 of which composed of 22 samples each plus 1 negative control. Group I: reinstrumented and irrigated with saline solution and subsequent application of photodynamic therapy (PDT); Group II: reinstrumented and irrigated with sodium hypochlorite 0.5% and subsequent PDT application; Group III: reinstrumented and irrigated with sodium hypochlorite 0.5%; Group IV: positive control (no previous treatment before material collection); Group V: negative control (2 samples) with no contamination. The collection of intracanal dentin was obtained by using a Gates Glidden drill nr. 6. The antimicrobial activity was assessed by CFUs counting. The teeth were then immersed in a selected medium for Enterococcus, incubated at 37 degrees Celsius for 72 hours. They were then assessed for medium turbidity. All samples, with the exception of the negative control, showed positive. In order to make sure of the formation of biofilm and the confirmation of the CFUs counting, 9 samples were scavenged under the electron microscope...

Novel light-activated antimicrobial coatings are effective against surface-deposited Staphylococcus aureus.

Aerosols constitute a major route of transmission for a wide range of infectious diseases in the hospital setting. The aim of this study was to determine the survival of Staphylococcus aureus on a light-activated antimicrobial coating. S. aureus suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), saliva, or horse serum was sprayed onto cellulose acetate coatings containing toluidine blue O and rose bengal and the survival of the organism on these surfaces was determined following 6 h of exposure to a 28-W domestic fluorescent lamp (light intensity = 3700 +/- 20 lux). Kills ranging from 78.9% (in horse serum) to 99.8% (in PBS) were obtained when the bacterial density on the coatings was approximately 10(5) colony-forming units/m(2). The results of this study have shown that a coating containing toluidine blue and rose bengal can achieve significant kills of S. aureus when illuminated by a domestic light source. Light-activated coatings could provide a simple, low-cost means of reducing the microbial load in hospitals and other facilities.

Cellulose acetate containing toluidine blue and rose bengal is an effective antimicrobial coating when exposed to white light.

Simple methods of reducing the microbial load on surfaces in hospitals are needed to reduce the risk of hospital-associated infections. Here we report on the ability of a cellulose acetate coating containing the photosensitizers toluidine blue and rose bengal to kill microbes (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, a bacteriophage, and Candida albicans) on its surface when illuminated with white light.

Effects of singlet oxygen on membrane sterols in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Photodynamic treatment of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the singlet oxygen sensitizer toluidine blue and visible light leads to rapid oxidation of ergosterol and accumulation of oxidized ergosterol derivatives in the plasma membrane. The predominant oxidation product accumulated was identified as 5alpha, 6alpha-epoxy-(22E)-ergosta-8,22-dien-3beta,7a lpha-diol (8-DED). 9(11)-dehydroergosterol (DHE) was identified as a minor oxidation product. In heat inactivated cells ergosterol is photooxidized to ergosterol epidioxide (EEP) and DHE. Disrupted cell preparations of S. cerevisiae convert EEP to 8-DED, and this activity is abolished in a boiled control indicating the presence of a membrane associated enzyme with an EEP isomerase activity. Yeast selectively mobilizes ergosterol from the intracellular sterol ester pool to replenish the level of free ergosterol in the plasma membrane during singlet oxygen oxidation. The following reaction pathway is proposed: singlet oxygen-mediated oxidation of ergosterol leads to mainly the formation of EEP, which is enzymatically rearranged to 8-DED. Ergosterol 7-hydroperoxide, a known minor product of the reaction of singlet oxygen with ergosterol, is formed at a much lower rate and decomposes to give DHE. Changes of physical properties of the plasma membrane are induced by depletion of ergosterol and accumulation of polar derivatives. Subsequent permeation of photosensitizer through the plasma membrane into the cell leads to events including impairment of mitochondrial function and cell inactivation.

Generation of active oxygen species in vitro by the interaction of potassium bromate with rat kidney cell.

Active oxygen species derived from the interaction of potassium bromate (KBrO3), a rat renal carcinogen, with cells from rat kidney and other organs were examined by electron spin resonance spectrometry using the spin trapping agents 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TEMP). DMPO-OH, an indicator of hydroxyl radical production, was generated from KBrO3 by kidney cells or homogenate, but not by liver preparations and to only a limited extent by heart and brain homogenates, suggesting relative kidney specificity. To assess what chemical components are responsible for production of DMPO-OH, several physiologically related materials were examined. Glucose, saccharose, albumin and methyl linolate were found not to be involved in the KBrO3 reaction, but reduced glutathione and also ferric ions participated to produce DMPO-OH. In addition, DMPO-OH production derived from the reaction of KBrO3 with kidney homogenate was not affected by superoxide dismutase, catalase or hydroxyl radical scavengers such as DMSO or ethanol, but was effectively inhibited by singlet oxygen scavengers such as histidine and NaN3, implying singlet oxygen production. To assess this possibility, TEMP was used as a trapping agent, and TEMPO, derived from singlet oxygen, was found to be produced by the reaction of KBrO3 with homogenates of kidney, but not of liver. Furthermore, singlet oxygen production was confirmed by studies of chemiluminescence using 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2a]pyrazine-3-one. As a control, DMPO-OH was also demonstrated to be produced by a known singlet oxygen source, toluidine blue plus light. The results thus indicate that singlet oxygen is a very probably candidate for the active oxygen species generated in the specific interaction of KBrO3 with rat kidney cells in vitro. This raises the question of its concern with renal carcinogenicity in vivo.