Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Curcumin by Combination with Polyurethane Micelles

Shaomin Song, Meihui Yin, Xiaohui Wan, Daoping Yan, Min Yang, Lijiao Yang, Jicong Deng

Curcumin, Polyurethane micelles, Drug resistance, Targeting, Antibacterial

In recent years, the problem of bacterial resistance has become more and more serious. Drug-resistant strains pose a great threat to human health. Infection mortality and corresponding treatment costs have increased, causing a huge social and economic burden. The study found that curcumin (CUR) can inhibit the growth of bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus. In order to develop a new type of antibacterial material to treat bacterial infections, this subject designed and synthesized a curcumin polyurethane micelle (MPEG-CUR-PU). The micelles showed a pH responsive transition from a negative charge to a positive charge, while strongly adhering quickly to negatively charged bacterial surfaces at infectious sites (pH = 5.5) based on electrostatic attraction. MPEG-CUR-PU has a good selectivity for bacteria, which makes it a promising antibacterial nanodrug in biomedical field.

https://doi.org/10.31871/IJNTR.7.2.15