Abstract
This study describes the use of cyclodextrins (CDs) as a finishing agent of polyamide (PA) fibers used in order to obtain inguinal meshes with improved antibiotic delivery properties. The finishing process involved polymerization between citric acid and CDs, which yielded a cross-linked polymer that physically adhered to the surface of PA fibers. This permanent functionalization was characterized by evaluating the damping property with a polar liquid (glycerol) via the drop contact angle method for various rates of modification of the fabrics. The biological and microbiological effects of the PA, which were functionalized with hydroxypropylated derivate of gamma-CD (HP-gamma-CDs) and charged with ciprofloxacin (CFX), were evaluated by cell culture assays. We observed a good adhesion and proliferation of fibroblastic cells (NIH3T3) after 3 and 6 days and no detectable toxicity of the modified substrate. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the HP-gamma-CD grafted PA fabrics charged with CFX against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli was greatly superior to that of the virgin sample within a 24 h batch experiment in human blood plasma medium. In conclusion, these results from our study offer an insight into the efficient performance of CDs as drug delivery systems for multiple applications in the fields of biomaterials and medical textiles. (C) 2008 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.