A Chlorhexidine Nanocarrier Strategy to Combat Oral Candidiasis Microcosm Biofilms

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology in Dentistry
• Antimicrobial Biomaterials
• Oral Microbiology

Background:

• Candida resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies like nanotherapies.
• Oral candidiasis involves complex microcosm biofilms requiring effective treatment.
• Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) functionalized with chitosan (CS) can serve as drug carriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the antibiofilm efficacy of chlorhexidine (CHX)-loaded IONPs-CS nanocarriers.
• To assess the impact of IONPs-CS-CHX on oral candidiasis microcosm biofilms.
• To compare the effectiveness of nanocarrier-delivered CHX with free CHX.

Main Methods:

• Oral candidiasis microcosm biofilms were established using healthy donor saliva and Candida species.
• Biofilms were treated with IONPs-CS loaded with CHX (IONPs-CS-CHX78, IONPs-CS-CHX156) for 24 hours.
• Assays included biomass, metabolism, microbial load, lactic acid production, and confocal microscopy for viability and structure.

Main Results:

• IONPs-CS-CHX156 demonstrated significant reduction in metabolism, microbial load, and viability in tested biofilms.
• The nanocarrier significantly increased lactic acid levels in oral candidiasis biofilms compared to controls.
• CHX and IONPs-CS-CHX156 were the most effective agents across all biofilm models.

Conclusions:

• The IONPs-CS nanocarrier delivered CHX effectively, reducing oral candidiasis biofilms at half the concentration of free CHX.
• This nanostructure shows potential for developing advanced antiseptic and disinfectant solutions for oral candidiasis management.
• Further exploration of this nanocarrier system is warranted for clinical applications in oral health.