Macroporous poly(epsilon-caprolactone) with antimicrobial activity obtained by iodine polymerization

The most serious problem usually encountered in the field of implanted biomedical devices is infectious morbidity as a primary source of mortality. In this work, the synthesis and characterization of a macroporous iodine-based sanitizer (iodophor), poly(caprolactone)-iodine (PCL-I(2)), are presented. Characterization methods include nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro cytotoxicity to CHO cells based on cell viability with Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were examined. The obtained macropore PCL-I(2) structures had a rather narrow size distribution. The PCL-I(2) iodophor was noncytotoxic to Chinese hamster ovary cells. The antimicrobial activities of the PCL-I(2) were assessed against E. coli and S. aureus. The tested PCL-I(2) showed better antimicrobial activity against E. coli than against S. aureus.