Fibrin sealant as a carrier for sustained delivery of antibiotics

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the activity and sustained release of antibiotics from fibrin sealant against common strains of ocular bacteria. Methods: Vancomycin, ceftazidime, moxifloxacin and lomefloxacin were incorporated into fibrin sealant in the shape of discs. Each antibiotic disc and control fibrin disc without drug was tested in vitro against standard bacterial strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. After 24 hours of incubation at 37 °C, the discs were transferred to new plates of bacteria and triplicated for each antibiotic. Results: All antibiotic discs demonstrated detectable activity after 24 hours. Vancomycin had the longest duration of activity (4 days) on the S. pneumonia grown plate. The moxifloxacin discs showed a prolonged inhibition of S. aureus and S. pneumonia for 3 days and inhibited the other strains for 2 days. Conclusion: Fibrin sealants provided prolonged drug delivery, which indicates that antibiotic-loaded fibrin clots could be useful for early ocular postoperative care and treatment.