No abstract

Incorporation of silver nanoparticles in the acrylic resin was evidenced. Moreover, silver was not detected by the detection limit of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer used in this study, even after 120 days of storage in deionized water. Silver nanoparticles are incorporated in the PMMA denture resin to attain an effective antimicrobial material to help control common infections involving oral mucosal tissues in complete denture wearers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles (SN) against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata adhered cells and biofilms. SN (average diameter 5 nm) were synthesized by silver nitrate reduction with sodium citrate and stabilized with ammonia. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were performed for C. albicans (n = 2) and C. glabrata (n = 2) grown in suspension following the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute microbroth dilution method. SN were applied to adhered cells (2 h) or biofilms (48 h) and after 24 h of contact their effect was assessed by enumeration of colony forming units (CFUs) and quantification of total biomass (by crystal violet staining). The MIC results showed that SN were fungicidal against all strains tested at very low concentrations (0.4-3.3 μg ml(-1)). Furthermore, SN were more effective in reducing biofilm biomass when applied to adhered cells (2 h) than to pre-formed biofilms (48 h), with the exception of C. glabrata ATCC, which in both cases showed a reduction ∼90%. Regarding cell viability, SN were highly effective on adhered C. glabrata and respective biofilms. On C. albicans the effect was not so evident but there was also a reduction in the number of viable biofilm cells. In summary, SN may have the potential to be an effective alternative to conventional antifungal agents for future therapies in Candida-associated denture stomatitis.

A new method to stabilize silver nanoparticles by the addition of ammonia is proposed. Colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles were synthesized by the Turkevich method using sodium citrate to reduce silver nitrate at high pH and at 90 °C. After approximately 12 min, a diluted ammonia solution was added to the reaction flask to form soluble diamine silver (I) complexes that played an important growth moderating role, making it possible to stabilize metallic silver nanoparticles with sizes as small as 1.6 nm after 17 min of reaction. Colloidal dispersions were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electronic microscopy.

Aim:  The purpose of this work was to evaluate the size‐dependent antifungal activity of different silver nanoparticles (SN) colloidal suspensions against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata mature biofilms. Methods and Results:  The research presented herein used SN of three different average sizes (5, 10 and 60 nm), which were synthesized by the reduction of silver nitrate through sodium citrate and which were stabilized with ammonia or polyvinylpyrrolidone. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays were performed using the microdilution methodology. The antibiofilm activity of SN was determined by total biomass quantification (by crystal violet staining) and colony forming units enumeration. MIC results showed that all SN colloidal suspensions were fungicidal against the tested strains at very low concentrations (0·4–3·3 μg ml−1). With regard to biomass quantification, SN colloidal suspensions were very effective only against C. glabrata biofilms, achieving biomass reductions around 90% at a silver concentration of 108 μg ml−1. In general, all SN suspensions promoted significant log10 reduction of the mean number of cultivable biofilm cells after exposure to silver concentrations at or higher than 108 μg ml−1. Moreover, the results showed that the particle size and the type of stabilizing agent used did not interfere in the antifungal activity of SN against Candida biofilms. Conclusions:  This study suggests that SN have antifungal therapeutic potential, but further studies are still required namely regarding formulation and delivery means. Significance and Impact of the Study:  SN may contribute to the development of new strategies for the improvement of oral health and quality of life particularly of the complete denture wearers.