Journal
POLYMERS
Volume 15, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/polym15051259
Keywords
ionic liquid; human mesenchymal stem cells; biocompatibility; melt blending; histopathological evaluation
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Candida species have the ability to form biofilms on polymeric surfaces, which is related to human diseases. HDPE films containing imidazolium salts were prepared and showed reduced biofilm formation. The imidazolium salts did not show cytotoxic effects and demonstrated good biocompatibility. These films have potential as biomaterials to reduce the risk of fungal infections in medical devices.
The species of Candida present good capability to form fungal biofilms on polymeric surfaces and are related to several human diseases since many of the employed medical devices are designed using polymers, especially high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Herein, HDPE films containing 0; 0.125; 0.250 or 0.500 wt% of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C(16)MImCl) or its analog 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (C(16)MImMeS) were obtained by melt blending and posteriorly mechanically pressurized into films. This approach resulted in more flexible and less brittle films, which impeded the Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis biofilm formation on their surfaces. The employed imidazolium salt (IS) concentrations did not present any significant cytotoxic effect, and the good cell adhesion/proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells on the HDPE-IS films indicated good biocompatibility. These outcomes combined with the absence of microscopic lesions in pig skin after contact with HDPE-IS films demonstrated their potential as biomaterials for the development of effective medical device tools that reduce the risk of fungal infections.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available