Antibacterial fluoroquinolone antibiotic-containing fibrous materials from poly(l-lactide-co-d,l-lactide) prepared by electrospinning

Microfibrous materials based on poly(l-lactide-co-d,l-lactide) (coPLA) and coPLA/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) containing a fluoroquinolone antibiotic: ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (Cipro), levofloxacin hemihydrate (Levo) or moxifloxacin hydrochloride (Moxi) were obtained by electrospinning. The presence of Moxi led to an increase in the conductivity of the coPLA and coPLA/PEG spinning solutions and to the preparation of membranes composed of fibers aligned with the collector rotation direction. The one-step incorporation of the antibiotics in the fibers was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The antibiotics were dispersed in the coPLA or coPLA/PEG polymer matrix and the XRD spectra revealed the presence of crystalline phase characteristic of PEG and of the respective antibiotic. It was found that the release profiles of the antibiotics did not depend on the antibiotic nature but were dependent on the fiber composition. The presence of PEG in the fibers allowed a more rapid antibiotic release within the first 2 h of release. The performed microbiological tests with Staphylococcus aureus revealed that the coPLA/Cipro, coPLA/PEG/Cipro, coPLA/Levo, coPLA/PEG/Levo, coPLA/Moxi and coPLA/PEG/Moxi mats inhibited the bacterial growth. In addition, the presence of an antibiotic in the mats led to a substantial decrease in the adhesion of the pathogenic microorganism and in the case of the coPLA/PEG/antibiotic series – to prevention thereof.

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