Preparation and characterization of a novel antimicrobial film dressing for wound healing application

Antibacterial activity and good mechanical properties are some of the characteristics required for an appropriate film dressing. A novel polymer blend was developed for wound healing application. Twenty-four formulations using the polymers chitosan, poly(vinyl alcohol) and/or ɛ-Polylysine and the plasticizer glycerol were designed using factorial design and then the films were prepared by the casting/solvent evaporation method. Seventeen films were obtained among the twenty-four proposed formulations that were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Mechanical properties, such as tensile strength (σ), elongation at break (ɛ) and Young's modulus (Y) as well as antibacterial properties were determined. The best candidate was then further analyzed with regard to porosity, Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR), swelling and cytotoxicity experiments. The results showed a film with semi-occlusive characteristics, good mechanical properties and no toxic. Incorporation of ɛ-Polylysine increased antibacterial activity against gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria

The effects of drugs, ions, and poly-l-lysine on the excretory system of Schistosoma mansoni

We have been able to label the excretory system of cercariae and all forms of schistosomula, immature and adult worms with the highly fluorescent dye resorufin. We have shown that the accumulation of the resorufin into the excretory tubules and collecting ducts of the male adult worm depends on the presence of extracellular calcium and phosphate ions. In the adult male worms, praziquantel (PZQ) prevents this accumulation in RPMI medium and disperses resorufin from tubules which have been prelabelled. Female worms and all other developmental stages are much less affected either by the presence of calcium and phosphate ions, or the disruption caused by PZQ. The male can inhibit the excretory system in paired female. Fluorescent PZQ localises in the posterior gut (intestine) region of the male adult worm, but not in the excretory system, except for the anionic carboxy fluorescein derivative of PZQ, which may be excreted by this route. All stages of the parasite can recover from damage by PZQ treatment in vitro. The excretory system is highly sensitive to damage to the surface membrane and may be involved in vesicle movement and damage repair processes. In vivo the adult parasite does not recover from PZQ treatment, but what is inhibiting recovery is unknown, but likely to be related to immune effector molecules.

Membrana de látex da seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis), com e sem polilisina a 0,1 por cento e tela de marlex na reconstrucão de defeitos iatrogênicos da parede abdominal de ratos / Seringueira's latex membrane (Hevea brasiliensis) with and without polylysine 0, 1 percent and marlex mesh for the reconstruction of iatrogenics abdominal wall defects in rats

OBJETIVO: Comparar o implante de membrana de látex da seringueira sem e com polilisina 0,1 por cento e tela de marlex na reparacão de defeitos abdominais iatrogênicos em ratos. MÉTODOS: Ressectou-se em bloco um segmento circular de aproximadamente três centímetros de diâmetro da parede muscular abdominal ventral de 31 ratos Wistar, preservando-se a pele. Os animais foram divididos em 3 grupos: grupo látex sem polilisina, grupo látex com polilisina 0,1 por cento e grupo marlex. Os animais foram sacrificados aos cinco e aos 120 dias após o procedimento cirúrgico. Fragmentos da parede abdominal foram coletados e submetidos à avaliacão histopatológica. RESULTADOS: As principais alteracões observadas nos grupos tratados com as membranas de látex sem e com polilisina 0,1 por cento foram deiscência (21 animais) e evisceracão (dois animais). A eliminacão dos implantes nos grupos tratados com látex ocorreu, em média, aos 13,8 dias. Nestes animais ocorreu a formacão de tecido conjuntivo fibroso, similar ao observado no grupo que recebeu o marlex. Outras alteracões notadas foram aderências viscero-parietais em todos os grupos avaliados. CONCLUSAO: A membrana de látex da seringueira com e sem polilisina a 0,1 por cento, quando utilizada para reconstrucão de defeitos abdominais em ratos é eliminada, em média, aos 13,8 dias após a sua implantacão, deixando uma base fibrosa de reparacão, similar à observada após a implantacão da tela de marlex.