A study on Sr/Zn phytate complexes: structural properties and antimicrobial synergistic effects against Streptococcus...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Microbiology

Background:

• Phytic acid (PA) possesses antimicrobial properties and chelating abilities, with potential applications in various fields.
• Research on the chemistry and biological activity of metallic phytate complexes is needed to expand their applications.
• Oral implantology presents a promising area for utilizing PA complexes due to their bioactive potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and structurally characterize zinc (ZnPhy) and strontium (SrPhy) phytate complexes.
• To investigate the synergistic biological properties between phytic acid and its metal cations.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these metallic phytates in inhibiting Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation for oral applications.

Main Methods:

• Solid-state synthesis of metallic phytates via hydrothermal reaction.
• Structural and chemical characterization using ICP, HRES-TGA, EDS, Raman, ATR-FTIR, and NMR spectroscopies.
• In vitro evaluation of biofilm inhibition against Streptococcus mutans cultures.

Main Results:

• Pure solid compounds of ZnPhy and SrPhy were synthesized with high yields.
• Molecular formulas determined as C6H12O24P6Sr4·5H2O for SrPhy and C6H12O24P6Zn6·6H2O for ZnPhy.
• All tested compounds, including PA, SrPhy, and ZnPhy, significantly reduced biofilm formation, with ZnPhy exhibiting the most potent effect.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized metallic phytates show promising antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans.
• ZnPhy and SrPhy complexes may offer synergistic effects between phytic acid and metal cations.
• These findings support the potential application of metallic phytates in biomaterials for anti-plaque coating systems in dentistry.