Bacterial Cellulose Membranes as a Potential Drug Delivery System for Photodynamic Therapy of Skin Cancer

Abstract

The development of drug delivery systems for photodynamic therapy (PDT) is increasingly demanded due to the hydrophobicity presented by most of photosensitizers molecules. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a highly pure cellulose produced by bacteria, possesses the essential features for applications in drug delivery systems, such as large surface area and excellent loading capacity. BC membranes prepared containing a photosensitizer, chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (ClAlPc), were tested aiming applications as a drug delivery system for PDT skin cancer protocols. BC membranes production was optimized regarding thickness and optical transmission. Thinner membranes lead to higher relative incorporation efficiencies. Skin permeation and retention in vitro tests were performed by using pig's ears as a skin model. ClAlPc was retained at stratum corneum and epidermis/dermis, showing adequate properties for topical administration of ClAlPc. Photophysical studies showed that singlet oxygen production was not affected for ClAlPc compartmentalized in the BC array. BC-ClAlPc membranes did not present cytotoxic effects in vitro.

Bacterial Cellulose: Production, Modification and Perspectives in Biomedical Applications

“…Amin et al [136] reported pH sensitive hydrogel formulations of BC with polyacrylic acid and bovine serum albumin as a model drug. Another study investigate BC membranes with added photosensitizer, chloroaluminum phthalocyanine for photodynamic therapy in skin cancer treatment [137].…”

Commercial and potential applications of bacterial cellulose in Brazil: ten years review

“…In the case of application for cancer therapeutics, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an innovative therapeutic modality, focused mainly on skin cancer treatment. Peres et al [161] utilized chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (ClAlPc) as a photosensitizer and impregnated BC membranes with it, with the goal of developing such applications as a drug delivery system for PDT skin cancer protocols. Photophysical studies of BC-ClAlPc showed that the properties of photosensitizer were not affected, and the result of the cell viability test using Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) demonstrated their potential for safe biological use.…”

Filtration and Antibacterial Properties of Bacterial Cellulose Membranes for Textile Wastewater Treatment

“…BC displays different composition in terms of the mechanical properties and microstructure from those of plant cellulose such as higher mechanical strength, higher polymerization degree, higher water-absorbing capacity, higher crystallinity as well as finer web-like network (8). BC has a great potential for wide application in several fields such as food, electronics, biomedical, paper, cosmetics, textile industry, and drug delivery (9)(10)(11)(12). BC is also possibly an excellent candidate for membrane applications due to its porous structure and small pore size, good biocompatibility, and mechanical properties (13).…”