Abstract
Eucalyptus leaves (ELE) and willow bark (WBE) extracts were utilized towards the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs(ELE), AgNPs(WBE)). AgNPs(ELE) and AgNPs(WBE) were dispersed in polymer hydrogels to create pHEMA@AgNPs(ELE)_2 and pHEMA@AgNPs(WBE)_2 using hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (HEMA). The materials were characterized in a solid state by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRPD), thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DTG/DSC) and attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy in solution. The antimicrobial potential of the materials was investigated against the Gram-negative bacterial strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and the Gram-positive bacterial strain of the genus Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which are involved in microbial keratitis. The percentage of bacterial viability of P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis upon their incubation over the pHEMA@AgNPs(ELE)_2 discs is interestingly low (28.3 and 6.8% respectively), while the inhibition zones (IZ) formed are 12.3 ± 1.7 and 13.2 ± 1.2 mm, respectively. No in vitro toxicity of this material towards human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) was detected. Despite its low performance against S. aureus, pHEMA@AgNPs(ELE)_2 could be an efficient candidate towards the development of contact lenses that reduces microbial infection risk.
Highlights
Contact lenses have been widely used in recent decades [1,2,3,4]
The antimicrobial potential of the materials was evaluated against the Gram-negative bacterial strain P. aeruginosa and the Gram-positive ones, S. epidermidis and S. aureus, which are involved in the microbial contamination of contact lenses, leading to microbial keratitis (MK)
General Aspects pHEMA cross-linked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) is the basis of many types of soft contact lenses made for daily use [5]
Summary
They are associated with bacterial infections such as microbial keratitis (MK) [1,2,3,4] Bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, S. epidermidis and S. aureus often colonize materials such as contact lenses [2,3]. In continuing our work in this research area [6], silver nanoparticles (AgNPs(ELE), AgNPs(WBE)) using eucalyptus leaves (ELE) and willow bark (WBE) extracts were synthesized, and were incorporated in pHEMA hydrogels, forming the materials pHEMA@AgNPs(ELE)_2 and pHEMA@AgNPs(WBE)_2. The antimicrobial potential of the materials was evaluated against the Gram-negative bacterial strain P. aeruginosa and the Gram-positive ones, S. epidermidis and S. aureus, which are involved in the microbial contamination of contact lenses, leading to MK
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