Light-induced antibacterial activity of electrospun chitosan-based material containing photosensitizer

- Chitosan with a phthalocyanine photosensitizer was electrospun into fibers.
- Photosensitizer was uniformly distributed in the electrospun material.
- The incorporation of photosensitizer does not affect the fiber morphology.
- Chitosan/photosensitizer composites possess light-induced antibacterial activity.
- The antibacterial activity of the material is limited to the area of irradiation.

Increasing antimicrobial resistance requires the development of novel materials and approaches for treatment of various infections. Utilization of photodynamic therapy represents an advanced alternative to antibiotics and metal-based agents. Here, we report the fabrication of electrospun material that possesses benefits of both topical antimicrobial and photodynamic therapies. This material combines chitosan, as a biocompatible polymer, and a second generation photosensitizer. The incorporation of photosensitizer doesn't affect the material morphology and its nearly uniform distribution in fibers structure was observed by confocal Raman microscopy. Owing to photosensitizer the prepared material exhibits the light-induced and spatially limited antimicrobial activity that was demonstrated against Staphylococcus aureus, an important etiological infectious agent. Such material can be potentially used in antibacterial therapy of chronic wounds, infections of diabetic ulcers, and burns, as well as rapidly spreading and intractable soft-tissue infections caused by resistant bacteria.

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