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Destruction of Opportunistic Pathogens via Polymer Nanoparticle‐Mediated Release of Plant‐Based Antimicrobial Payloads
Author(s) -
Amato Dahlia N.,
Amato Douglas V.,
Mavrodi Olga V.,
Braasch Dwaine A.,
Walley Susan E.,
Douglas Jessica R.,
Mavrodi Dmitri V.,
Patton Derek L.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced healthcare materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.288
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 2192-2659
pISSN - 2192-2640
DOI - 10.1002/adhm.201500974
Subject(s) - antimicrobial , carvacrol , thymol , burkholderia cenocepacia , microbiology and biotechnology , miniemulsion , staphylococcus aureus , chemistry , escherichia coli , materials science , bacteria , biology , essential oil , burkholderia , biochemistry , organic chemistry , food science , monomer , polymer , gene , genetics
The synthesis of antimicrobial thymol/carvacrol‐loaded polythioether nanoparticles (NPs) via a one‐pot, solvent‐free miniemulsion thiol‐ene photopolymerization process is reported. The active antimicrobial agents, thymol and carvacrol, are employed as “solvents” for the thiol‐ene monomer phase in the miniemulsion to enable facile high capacity loading (≈50% w/w), excellent encapsulation efficiencies (>95%), and elimination of all postpolymerization purification processes. The NPs serve as high capacity reservoirs for slow‐release and delivery of thymol/carvacrol‐combination payloads that exhibit inhibitory and bactericidal activity (>99.9% kill efficiency at 24 h) against gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria, including both saprophytic ( Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) and pathogenic species ( E. coli ATCC 43895, Staphylococcus aureus RN6390, and Burkholderia cenocepacia K56‐2). This report is among the first to demonstrate antimicrobial efficacy of essential oil‐loaded nanoparticles against B. cenocepacia – an innately resistant opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with debilitating respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis. Although a model platform, these results point to promising pathways to particle‐based delivery of plant‐derived extracts for a range of antimicrobial applications, including active packaging materials, topical antiseptics, and innovative therapeutics.