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. 2023 Sep 6;12(9):1414.
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12091414.

Chlorhexidine-Containing Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibers for Dental Applications: An In Vitro Study

Luana Dutra de Carvalho  1 , Bernardo Urbanetto Peres  2 , Ya Shen  3 , Markus Haapasalo  3 , Hazuki Maezono  4 , Adriana P Manso  1 , Frank Ko  5 , John Jackson  6 , Ricardo M Carvalho  2
Affiliations

Chlorhexidine-Containing Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibers for Dental Applications: An In Vitro Study

Luana Dutra de Carvalho et al. Antibiotics (Basel). .

Abstract

Chlorhexidine is the most commonly used anti-infective drug in dentistry. To treat infected void areas, a drug-loaded material that swells to fill the void and releases the drug slowly is needed. This study investigated the encapsulation and release of chlorhexidine from cellulose acetate nanofibers for use as an antibacterial treatment for dental bacterial infections by oral bacteria Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus faecalis. This study used a commercial electrospinning machine to finely control the manufacture of thin, flexible, chlorhexidine-loaded cellulose acetate nanofiber mats with very-small-diameter fibers (measured using SEM). Water absorption was measured gravimetrically, drug release was analyzed by absorbance at 254 nm, and antibiotic effects were measured by halo analysis in agar. Slow electrospinning at lower voltage (14 kV), short target distance (14 cm), slow traverse and rotation, and syringe injection speeds with controlled humidity and temperature allowed for the manufacture of strong, thin films with evenly cross-meshed, uniform low-diameter nanofibers (640 nm) that were flexible and absorbed over 600% in water. Chlorhexidine was encapsulated efficiently and released in a controlled manner. All formulations killed both bacteria and may be used to fill infected voids by swelling for intimate contact with surfaces and hold the drug in the swollen matrix for effective bacterial killing in dental settings.

Keywords: anti-bacterial; chlorhexidine; controlled release preparation; nanofiber.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SEM photomicrographs of CA-PEO mats under different magnifications.
Figure 2
Figure 2
SEM photomicrographs of CA-TTE mats under different magnifications.
Figure 3
Figure 3
SEM photomicrographs of CA-CHX 0.3 mats under different magnifications.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM photomicrographs of CA-CHX 1.2 mats under different magnifications.
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM photomicrographs of CA-PEO with post-spin treatment mats under different magnifications.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Water absorption of chlorhexidine-loaded cellulose acetate nanofiber mats (0.3 and 1.2 indicate the loading % of chlorhexidine in cellulose acetate).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Release of chlorhexidine (μg/mL) from the nanofiber mats.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Comparison of the size of the inhibition halos against S. mutans formed around the different fiber mats and controls.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Comparison of the size of the inhibition halos against E. faecalis formed around the different fiber mats and controls.
Figure 10
Figure 10
The inhibition halos observed when the experimental mats were applied against S. mutans (A) and E. faecalis (B).
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