Chlorite-Oxidized Oxyamylose (COAM) Has Antibacterial Activity and Positively Affects Skin Wound Healing

To verify the antibacterial and immunomodulatory effects of the amylose derivative - chlorite-oxidized oxyamylose (COAM) - in a skin wound setting.

In vitro antibacterial effects of COAM against opportunistic bacterial pathogens common to skin wounds, including Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), were determined by cultivation methods. The effects of COAM on myeloid cell infiltration into full thickness skin wounds were investigated in wild-type and in transgenic CX₃CR1-GFP mice.

On the basis of in vitro experiments, an antibacterial effect of COAM against Staphylococcus species including MRSA was confirmed. The minimum inhibitory concentration of COAM was determined as 2000 µg/mL against these bacterial strains. Control full thickness skin wounds yielded maximal neutrophil influxes and no additive effect on neutrophil influx was observed following topical COAM-treatment. However, COAM administration increased local CX₃CR1 macrophage counts at days 3 and 4 and induced a trend towards better wound healing.

Aside from its known broad antiviral impact, COAM possesses in vitro antibacterial effects specifically against Gram-positive opportunistic pathogens of the skin and modulates in vivo macrophage contents in mouse skin wounds.