Polymeric NO Preparing Method

About

Background Nitric oxide (NO) has been widely used the biomedical industry for antimicrobial applications. Current methods of producing NOs are through direct functionalization of amino groups with NO gases and physically mixing small-molecular NO donors into the polymer as additives. However, these existing methods are costly, inefficient, and potentially unsafe. Moreover, as a free radical gas NOs are easily oxidized and relatively short-lived, which makes maintaining NO at an effective level around the target sites a challenge.   Technology UMass Lowell researchers have developed a novel method of preparing polymeric NO with a chitosan-based approach. The natural polymer chitosan (UN-CS) is first treated with glutaraldehyde (glutaraldehyde-treated chitosan (GA-CS)), which readily reacts with amino group-containing NO donors to form polymeric NOs (chitosan-based polymeric nitric oxide (NO-CS)) using a covalent bonding pathway. This method can be carried out in milder conditions at room temperature, normal pressure, and relatively shorter reaction time. Researchers discovered that polymeric nitric oxides can be utilized for treating pre-existing biofilms. This usage was tested using biofilm slides sandwiched between UN-CS, GA-CS, and NO-CS films to be immersed in E. coli or S. epidermidis PBS suspensions. The results from this testing indicated that the NO-CS sandwiches provided more than 90% lower level of adherent bacteria than those composed of UN-CS or GA-CS, suggesting that NO-CS films would significantly reduce of level of bacteria living in pre-existing biofilms on chronic wound sites. Additionally, NOs can provide synergic effects with common antibiotics in treating effects. Like the previous testing, biofilm slides were sandwiched between films of varying compositions and immersed in amoxicillin PBS solutions. It was found that NO-CS combined with amoxicillin resulted in a 71% kill of adherent E. coli and 91.8% kill of adherent S. epidermidis.   Competitive Advantages Novel method of preparation can be performed at room temperature, normal pressures, and uses shorter reaction times, allowing the process to be cost-effective, safer, and more efficient. Expanded uses of polymeric nitric oxides that include treating pre-existing biofilms and combining with common antibiotics to achieve synergic effects. NO-CS film is biocompatible and can be used for various biomedical applications.   Applications Biomedical applications Treatment of chronic wounds (i.e. diabetic feet) Combination with antibiotics to increase infection fighting effectiveness   Market Potential The market for technology advancing the effectiveness of wound care and other antimicrobial applications continues to grow along with the expanding biomedical industry. A report from “Markets and Markets” projects the global wound care market to reach $18.3 billion by 2019 from $15.6 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 3.2% from 2014 to 2019.