Synthesis and antibacterial activity evaluation of a novel cotton fiber (Gossypium barbadense) ampicillin derivative

We prepared cellulose cotton fibers containing ampicillin moieties and evaluated their antibacterial activity. In spite of recent progress in experimental and clinical medicine, the problem of chronic wounds treatment remains to be solved. In fact conventional methods are based on solutions of antibiotics and antiseptics and ointment bandages but the efficacy of this method is low and so the idea to use modified cotton gauzes would have to prevent infections insorgence during wounds healing. Ampicillin, a large spectrum antibiotic, was covalently coupled to cellulose backbone of hydrophilic cotton fibers by a heterogeneous synthesis to produce a functionalized biopolymer with a satisfactory degree of substitution (DS) and antibacterial activity. The obtained biopolymer was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Finally, the antibacterial activity in inhibiting microorganism growth in Petri dishes, was evaluated. The results suggested that these biomaterials posses an excellent “in vitro” antibacterial activity and so they can be efficiently employed in biomedical fields for chronic wounds management to ensure a valid protection against infections and contaminations. Biopolymers so functionalized were found to be very efficient to contrast sensible bacteria growth.