Chitin based biomaterial for antimicrobial therapy: fabrication, characterization and in vitro profile based interaction with eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

The aim of the present study was to develop new drug delivery systems based on natural, biodegradable polymers. The authors report the successful fabrication and characterization of a chitin/alginate biomaterial, as well as in vitro biological assays, aimed to evaluate its biocompatibility and efficiency concerning the release of antibiotics in active forms. The tested biomaterial improved the antimicrobial activity of the antibiotics recommended by CLSI to be tested for Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, results that together with the clinically appealing nature of the proposed material and its simple preparation procedure, show a promising potential for the use of this biomaterial in drug delivery in a safe and effective manner.