Graphene binds drugs which kill bacteria on medical implants

Date:
August 9, 2021
Source:
Chalmers University of Technology
Summary:
Bacterial infections relating to medical implants place a huge
burden on healthcare and cause great suffering to patients
worldwide. Now, researchers have developed a new method to
prevent such infections, by covering a graphene-based material
with bactericidal molecules.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Bacterial infections relating to medical implants place a huge burden
on healthcare and cause great suffering to patients worldwide. Now,
researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed
a new method to prevent such infections, by covering a graphene-based
material with bactericidal molecules.


========================================================================== "Through our research, we have succeeded in binding water-insoluble antibacterial molecules to the graphene, and having the molecules release
in a controlled, continuous manner from the material" says Santosh Pandit, researcher at the Department of Biology and Biological Engineering at
Chalmers, and first author of the study which was recently published in Scientific Reports.

"This is an essential requirement for the method to work. The way
in which we bind the active molecules to the graphene is also very
simple, and could be easily integrated into industrial processes."
Certain bacteria can form impenetrable surface layers, or 'biofilms',
on surgical implants, such as dental and other orthopaedic implants,
and represent a major problem for healthcare globally. Biofilms are
more resistant than other bacteria, and the infections are therefore
often difficult to treat, leading to great suffering for patients,
and in the worst cases, necessitating removal or replacement of the
implants. In addition to the effects on patients, this entails large
costs for healthcare providers.

Graphene is suitable as an attachment material There are a variety of water-insoluble, or hydrophobic, drugs and molecules that can be used
for their antibacterial properties. But in order for them to be used in
the body, they must be attached to a material, which can be difficult
and labour intensive to manufacture.

"Graphene offers great potential here for interaction with hydrophobic molecules or drugs, and when we created our new material, we made use
of these properties. The process of binding the antibacterial molecules
takes place with the help of ultrasound," says Santosh Pandit.

In the study, the graphene material was covered with usnic acid, which is extracted from lichens, for example fruticose lichen. Previous research
has shown that usnic acid has good bactericidal properties. It works by preventing bacteria from forming nucleic acids, especially inhibiting
of RNA synthesis, and thus blocking protein production in the cell.

Simple method paves way for future drugs Usnic acid was tested for
its resistance to the pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, two common culprits for biofilm formation
on medical implants. The researchers' new material displayed a number of promising properties. In addition to successful results for integrating
the usnic acid into the surface of the graphene material, they also
observed that the usnic acid molecules were released in a controlled
and continuous manner, thus preventing the formation of biofilms on
the surface.

"Even more importantly, our results show that the method for binding
the hydrophobic molecules to graphene is simple. It paves the way for
more effective antibacterial protection of biomedical products in the
future. We are now planning trials where we will explore binding other hydrophobic molecules and drugs with even greater potential to treat or
prevent various clinical infections," says Santosh Pandit.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Chalmers_University_of_Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Santosh Pandit, Shadi Rahimi, Abderahmane Derouiche, Athmane
Boulaoued,
Ivan Mijakovic. Sustained release of usnic acid from graphene
coatings ensures long term antibiofilm protection. Scientific
Reports, 2021; 11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89452-5 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210809100451.htm

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