Structural Properties and Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans Biofilm of Different Composite Layers Based on...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Medical Mycology

Background:

• Fungal infections, particularly those caused by Candida albicans, pose significant threats in modern medicine.
• Developing effective antifungal strategies remains a critical challenge.
• Nanotechnology offers potential for creating advanced materials with antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize novel composite materials for potential antifungal applications.
• To evaluate the antifungal efficacy of silver-doped and zinc-doped hydroxyapatite coatings.
• To investigate the surface and structural properties of these advanced coatings.

Main Methods:

• Surface and structural characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
• Deposition of hydroxyapatite (HAp), silver-doped HAp (Ag:HAp), and zinc-doped HAp (Zn:HAp) on titanium substrates with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) interlayer.
• In vitro evaluation of antifungal properties against Candida albicans biofilm.

Main Results:

• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) interlayer improved coating quality.
• Composite material formation and successful embedding of HAp, Zn:HAp, and Ag:HAp into the polymer matrix were confirmed.
• Ag:HAp-PDMS demonstrated significant fungicidal effects, while Zn:HAp-PDMS showed potential antifungal activity against Candida albicans biofilm.

Conclusions:

• The developed Ag:HAp-PDMS and Zn:HAp-PDMS composite coatings show promise as effective antifungal agents.
• These nanotechnology-based materials represent a significant advancement in combating Candida albicans infections.
• The findings support the potential use of these novel complex materials in biomedicine.