Light therapy killed resistant staphylococcus and Pseudomonas bacteria
Nanoparticles that are exposed to light have been shown to be effective drugs for treating resistant hospital infections. The study is published in the journal Pharmaceutics.Researchers at the University of South Australia have developed a technology to fight resistant hospital infections using light-activated nanoparticles. The new method kills Staphylococcus aureus 500,000 times better and Pseudomonas aureus 100,000 times better.
The scientists developed a method of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using liquid crystal lipid nanoparticles of gallium protoporphyrin (GaPP-LCNP). The active ingredient is applied to the wound in the form of a lotion. When it is exposed to laser light, GaPPP creates reactive oxygen species, which serve as an alternative to conventional antibiotics.
The authors of the work note that existing methods use substances with poor solubility. In their technology they focused on the use of food-grade lipids to create a compound with increased solubility and antibacterial properties.
The study showed that the finished molecules targeted multiple bacterial cells simultaneously, preventing the bacteria from adapting and becoming resistant. In a series of experiments, the researchers showed the effectiveness of the new treatment to combat two of the most common and dangerous types of hospital-acquired infections. In doing so, skin cells involved in the wound healing process showed increased viability, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria were completely eliminated, the scientists said.
Staphylococcus aureus (golden staphylococcus) and Pseudomonas bacillus are among the deadliest superbacteria in the world. It is estimated that more than one million people die from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.