Efficacy of Chlorhexidine, Polihexanide and Tissue-Tolerable Plasma against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown on Polystyrene and Silicone Materials

N.-O. Hübner, Rutger Matthes, Ina Koban, C. Rändler, Gerald Müller, Claudia Bender, E. Kindel, Thomas Kocher, Axel Krämer

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology · 2010 · 96 citations · 33 references

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The formation of biofilms is crucial in the pathogenesis of many acute and subacute microbial infections, including chronic wounds and foreign-body-related infections. Topical antimicrobial therapy with chemical antiseptics or physical treatment with tissue-tolerable plasma (TTP) may be promising to control bacterial infection. METHODS: We assessed the efficacy of 0.1% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), 0.02 and 0.04% polihexanide (polyhexamethylene biguanide, PHMB) and of TTP against Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG81 biofilm grown in microtitre plates (polystyrene) and on silicone materials in an artificial wound fluid. RESULTS: Overall, PHMB was as effective as CHX in reducing the total amount of biofilm (gentian violet assay) and in reducing the bacterial metabolism in biofilms (XTT assay). TTP also led to a significant reduction in colony-forming units. CONCLUSION: The antimicrobial activity of PHMB in biofilms is comparable to that of CHX. TTP could become an interesting physical alternative to chemical antisepsis in the future.

References

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