Gelatin nanoparticles loaded methylene blue as a candidate for photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy applications in Candida albicans growth

Abstract

Gelatin nanoparticles (GN) with an intrinsic antimicrobial activity maybe a good choice to improve the effectiveness of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT). The aim of this study was to development gelatin nanoparticles loaded methylene blue (GN-MB) and investigate the effect of GN-MB in the Candida albicans growth by PACT protocols. The GN and GN-MB were prepared by two-step desolvation. The nanoparticulate systems were studied by scanning electron microscopy and steady-state techniques, the in vitro drug release was investigated, and we studied the effect of PACT on C. albicans growth. Satisfactory yields and encapsulation efficiency of GN-MB were obtained (yield = 76.0% ± 2.1 and EE = 84.0% ± 1.3). All the spectroscopic results presented here showed excellent photophysical parameters of the studied drug. Entrapment of MB in GN significantly prolongs it’s in vitro release. The results of PACT experiments clearly demonstrated that the photosensitivity of C. albicans was higher when GN-MB was used. Gelatin nanoparticles loaded methylene blue–mediated photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy may be used against Candida albicans growth.

Keywords:

• Candida albicans
• gelatin nanoparticles
• methylene blue

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

 

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (Award number 426625/2016-1 and 129188/2017-4).