Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Curcumin-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers for the Prevention of the Biofilm-Associated Infections

Abstract

Curcumin extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma Longa has been used in therapeutic preparations for centuries in different parts of the world. However, its bioactivity is limited by chemical instability, water insolubility, low bioavailability, and extensive metabolism. In this study, the coaxial electrospinning technique was used to produce both poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)–curcumin and core–shell nanofibers composed of PCL and curcumin in the core and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) in the shell. Morphology and physical properties, as well as the release of curcumin were studied and compared with neat PCL, showing the formation of randomly oriented, defect-free cylindrical fibers with a narrow distribution of the dimensions. The antibacterial and antibiofilm potential, including the capacity to interfere with the quorum-sensing mechanism, was evaluated on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and Streptococcus mutans, two opportunistic pathogenic bacteria frequently associated with infections. The reported results demonstrated the ability of the Curcumin-loading membranes to inhibit both PAO1 and S. mutans biofilm growth and activity, thus representing a promising solution for the prevention of biofilm-associated infections. Moreover, the high biocompatibility and the ability to control the oxidative stress of damaged tissue, make the synthesized membranes useful as scaffolds in tissue engineering regeneration, helping to accelerate the healing process.

PLA Nanofibers for Microenvironmental-Responsive Quercetin Release in Local Periodontal Treatment

“…The crystal violet (CV) biofilm assay was used to determine bacterial biofilm formation under static conditions, as previously described [ 19 ]. Briefly, pieces of membranes of similar size were sterilized by UV radiation for 15 min at each side, placed in a 48-well polystyrene plate, inoculated with 750 μL of liquid medium broth containing PAO1 (1 × 10 7 CFU/mL) or S. mutans (1 × 10 7 CFU/mL) and cultured without shaking at 37 °C in a humid atmosphere.…”

“…The capability of PLA-QUE membranes to interfere with the quorum sensing mechanism that guides the biofilm maturation process was evaluated by real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) quantifying the mRNA level of rhlAB genes for PAO1 and of comCD genes for S. mutans , as previously described [ 19 ]. PAO1 and S. mutans biofilm were developed in the presence of synthesized membranes for 12 h in a 48-well polystyrene plate.…”

“…Therefore, the development of local delivery platforms that would overcome the biopharmaceutical obstacles and avoid systemic clearance of QUE, thereby increasing its therapeutic and prophylactic potential, is still a technological challenge. In this context, electrospinning has emerged as a promising technique for the fabrication of delivery carriers to treat different types of oral diseases, including periodontitis, providing a good microenvironment for limiting bacterial and biofilm adhesion and promoting bone and tissue regeneration [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Moreover, since periodontal disease is mainly confined to the periodontal pocket, electrospun membranes can adhere to the gingival tissue, loading the drug in tight contact with surrounding tissue and prolonging the therapeutic effect.…”

Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Antioxidant Activity of Functional Poly(Butylene Succinate) Films Modified with Curcumin and Carvacrol

“…Further, the addition of CUR resulted in a decrease in biofilm to a lesser extent than CAR, but the decrease was still statistically significant (p < 0.05). CUR has been shown to affect biofilm formation by affecting quorum-sensing when it is released from the polymer matrix [44,53]. The synergistic effect of CUR and CAR additives on biofilm formation is clearly dependent on the concentration of additives used for each of the three microorganism strains used.…”

Effect of the Carrier on the Coprecipitation of Curcumin through Supercritical-Assisted Atomization

“…Indeed, it has been observed by Saber-Moghaddam et al that when CUR oral nano-formulations are administered to hospitalized patients with mild-moderate COVID-19, patients' recovery time is significantly improved [8]. CUR has been charged through different techniques into various carriers, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) [9], polylactic acid (PLA) [10], polycaprolactone (PCL) [11], and chitosan [12], obtaining different formulations and different dissolution profiles.…”