Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy action of phenothiazinium dyes in planktonic Candida albicans is increased in sodium dodecyl sulfate

Multiphotonic Ablation and Electro-Capacitive Effects Exhibited by Candida albicans Biofilms

This work reports the modification in the homogeneity of ablation effects with the assistance of nonlinear optical phenomena exhibited by C. albicans ATCC 10231, forming a biofilm. Equivalent optical energies with different levels of intensity were irradiated in comparative samples, and significant changes were observed. Nanosecond pulses provided by an Nd:YAG laser system at a 532 nm wavelength in a single-beam experiment were employed to explore the photodamage and the nonlinear optical transmittance. A nonlinear optical absorption coefficient -2 × 10-6 cm/W was measured in the samples studied. It is reported that multiphotonic interactions can promote more symmetric optical damage derived by faster changes in the evolution of fractional photoenergy transference. The electrochemical response of the sample was studied to further investigate the electronic dynamics dependent on electrical frequency, and an electro-capacitive behavior in the sample was identified. Fractional differential calculations were proposed to describe the thermal transport induced by nanosecond pulses in the fungi media. These results highlight the nonlinear optical effects to be considered as a base for developing photothermally activated phototechnology and high-precision photodamage in biological systems.

Increased Absorption and Inhibitory Activity against Candida spp. of Imidazole Derivatives in Synergistic Association with a Surface Active Agent

This paper's purpose was to evaluate the interaction between three imidazole derivatives, (2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methanol (SAM3), 1,1'-methanediylbis(1H-benzimidazole (AM5) and (1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)methanol 1-hydroxymethylbenzimidazole (SAM5) on the one hand, and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) on the other, as antifungal combinations against Candida spp. Inhibitory activity was assessed using the agar diffusion method and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and showed moderate inhibitory activity of single imidazole derivatives against Candida spp. The mean value of MIC ranged from 200 µg/mL (SAM3) to 312.5 µg/mL (SAM3), while for SDS the MIC was around 1000 µg/mL. When used in combination with SDS, the imidazole derivatives demonstrated an improvement in their antifungal activity. Their MIC decreased over five times for AM5 and over seven times for SAM3 and SAM5, respectively, and ranged from 26.56 µg/mL (SAM3) to 53.90 µg/mL (AM5). Most combinations displayed an additive effect while a clear synergistic effect was recorded in only a few cases. Thus, the FIC Index (FICI) with values between 0.311 and 0.375 showed a synergistic effect against Candida spp. when SDS was associated with SAM3 (three strains), SAM5 (two strains) and AM5 (one strain). The association of imidazole derivatives with SDS led to the increased release of cellular material as well as the intracellular influx of crystal violet (CV), which indicated an alteration of the membrane permeability of Candida spp. cells. This favored the synergistic effect via increasing the intracellular influx of imidazoles.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy mediated by methylene blue in surfactant vehicle as adjuvant to periodontal treatment. Randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial photodymanic therapy mediated by methylene blue has been investigated as an adjunctive to periodontal treatment but the dimerization of photosensitizer molecules reduces the phototoxic effects. Sodium dodecyl sulfate is a surfactant that may control this aggregation. The aim of this study was evaluated the photodynamic effect of methylene blue in sodium dodecyl sulfate in periodontitis.

METHODS

36 participants with periodontitis were selected and allocated randomly in two group for intervention and other two for control - all of them were treated with scaling and root planing before aPDT. Three periodontal evaluations were done: at the selection time, at the day of intervention and thirty-day after this. Pre-irradiation time was 1 min and 2 min for irradiation. Laser (Therapy XT, DMC, São Carlos, Brazil) with wavelength of 660 nm and 100 mW of power was used. Two photosensitizer solutions with 100 µM methylene blue was used, one of them was in water and other in 0,25% of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Two sites of each participant were selected for the experimental procedures. Microbiological evaluations were performed to quantify microorganisms before and immediately after intervention. Quantitative microbiological evaluation was the primary outcome; morphological aspects of bacterial colony, and clinical probing depth was the secondary one.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the groups in both bacterial reduction and the clinical parameter evaluated.

CONCLUSION

The effect of methylene blue in surfactant did not cause enough phototoxic effects that could promote reduction of periodontal pocket depth.

Synergistic effect of TONS504-mediated photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy and additives widely contained in ophthalmic solutions: benzalkonium chloride and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

TONS504 (C₅₁H₅₈N₈O₅I₂), a chlorine derivative, effectively generates singlet oxygen by light activation and exhibits photodynamic antimicrobial effects (PAEs) on various pathogens. However, this photosensitizer has some limitations: a high tendency to self-aggregate and a relatively weak PAE for Gram-negative bacteria compared with Gram-positive bacteria. To overcome these limitations, the present study investigated the synergistic effects of the PAE of TONS504 and two additives commonly contained in ophthalmic solutions: benzalkonium chloride (BAC) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were exposed to TONS504 and/or each additive. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy was performed with light irradiation centered at a wavelength of 665 nm with a total light energy of 30 J/cm². Following incubation, the number of colonies formed was counted. Additionally, we examined the inhibitory effects of the additives on TONS504 self-aggregation by observing its absorption spectrum. Consequently, the PAEs of TONS504 on S. aureus were enhanced by both additives, and BAC displayed stronger synergistic effects on the bacteria than EDTA. By contrast, only EDTA increased the PAE on P. aeruginosa. The peak of the TONS504 absorption spectrum shifted to a longer wave length and the absorbance increased in the presence of BAC, suggesting that BAC inhibited the self-aggregation of the photosensitizer. In conclusion, the combination of BAC or EDTA and TONS504-mediated photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy exhibits a synergistic antimicrobial effect on S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The optimal additive to enhance the PAE may differ between bacterial strains.

Progress on photocatalytic semiconductor hybrids for bacterial inactivation

Due to its use of green and renewable energy and negligible bacterial resistance, photocatalytic bacterial inactivation is to be considered a promising sterilization process. Herein, we explore the relevant mechanisms of the photoinduced process on the active sites of semiconductors with an emphasis on the active sites of semiconductors, the photoexcited electron transfer, ROS-induced toxicity and interactions between semiconductors and bacteria. Pristine semiconductors such as metal oxides (TiO₂ and ZnO) have been widely reported; however, they suffer some drawbacks such as narrow optical response and high photogenerated carrier recombination. Herein, some typical modification strategies will be discussed including noble metal doping, ion doping, hybrid heterojunctions and dye sensitization. Besides, the biosafety and biocompatibility issues of semiconductor materials are also considered for the evaluation of their potential for further biomedical applications. Furthermore, 2D materials have become promising candidates in recent years due to their wide optical response to NIR light, superior antibacterial activity and favorable biocompatibility. Besides, the current research limitations and challenges are illustrated to introduce the appealing directions and design considerations for the future development of photocatalytic semiconductors for antibacterial applications.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy mediated by methylene blue in surfactant vehicle on periodontopathogens

BACKGROUND

Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the presence of microbial biofilm. The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (A-PDT) mediated by methylene blue (MB) in monomer form on A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis.

METHODS

A. actinomycetemcomitans ATCC 29523 and P. gingivalis ATCC 33577 were cultured on anaerobic jars at 37 °C for 48 h, and we tested APDT in the presence of 0.25% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or in PBS alone. APDT was carried out with 100 μM MB under laser radiation (PhotolaseIII, DMC, Brazil) at ʎ =660 nm and parameters as following (P =100 mW; I =250 mW/cm², and doses of 15, 45 and 75 J/cm²).

RESULTS

Following A-PDT, PBS groups of A. actinomycetemcomitans presented 4 Logs of microbial death after 5 min irradiation. However, there was no bacterial reduction in SDS groups. On the other hand, P. gingivalis was sensitive to APDT in the presence of 0.25% SDS with 2 logs reduction from dark toxicity.

CONCLUSION

The presence of 0.25% SDS can lead to different responses depending on the different microbial species.

Global priority multidrug-resistant pathogens do not resist photodynamic therapy

Microbial drug-resistance demands immediate implementation of novel therapeutic strategies. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) combines the administration of a photosensitizer (PS) compound with low-irradiance light to induce photochemical reactions that yield reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since ROS react with nearly all biomolecules, aPDT offers a powerful multitarget method to avoid selection of drug-resistant strains. In this study, we assayed photodynamic inactivation under a standardized method, combining methylene blue (MB) as PS and red light, against global priority pathogens. The species tested include Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Our strain collection presents resistance to all tested antimicrobials (>50). All drug-resistant strains were compared to their drug-sensitive counterparts. Regardless of resistance phenotype, MB-aPDT presented species-specific dose-response kinetics. More than 5log₁₀ reduction was observed within less than 75 s of illumination for A. baumannii, E. coli, E. faecium, E. faecalis and S. aureus and within less than 7 min for K. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans and C. neoformans. No signs of correlations in between drug-resistance profiles and aPDT sensitivity were observed. Therefore, MB-aPDT can provide effective therapeutic protocols for a very broad spectrum of pathogens. Hence, we believe that this study represents a very important step to bring aPDT closer to implementation into mainstream medical practices.