Active insolubilized antibiotics based on cellulose-metal chelates

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Cellulose, a widely available biopolymer, has limited inherent antimicrobial properties.
• Developing effective methods to impart antimicrobial activity to cellulose is crucial for various applications.
• Existing methods like noncovalent adsorption offer limited durability and efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for creating antimicrobial cellulose materials.
• To functionalize cellulose with various antibiotics via metal chelation.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized cellulose-metal-antibiotic conjugates.

Main Methods:

• Cellulose was chelated with transition metals (titanium, iron, tin, vanadium, zirconium).
• Antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, etc.) were complexed with the cellulose-metal chelates.
• Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the resulting conjugates were tested against various microorganisms.

Main Results:

• Cellulose-metal-antibiotic chelates demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity.
• 102 out of 140 conducted tests showed positive antimicrobial results.
• The synthesized derivatives were water-insoluble, retaining parent compound activity.

Conclusions:

• Metal chelation provides an effective strategy for covalently attaching antibiotics to cellulose.
• This method yields durable antimicrobial surfaces with enhanced resistance to microbial attack.
• The developed conjugates offer a promising approach for antimicrobial material development.