iFyber (United States)

Objective: The antimicrobial effects of a borate-based bioactive glass matrix (BBBGM) on clinically relevant microorganisms was investigated for up to seven days in vitro. Method: A total of 19 wound-relevant pathogens were studied using the in vitro AATCC 100 test method. Results: The reduction of viable Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts at days 4 and 7 post-culture on the BBBGM was significant (> 4log10) in most cases. Mould counts were reduced (<2log10) during the seven-day assessment, indicating that mould viability and reproduction was inhibited. The cell count of each organism was reduced at seven days indicating that the BBBGM not only reduced the viable cell count, but that the cell count did not recover during the seven-day period, indicating a sustained reduction in pathogenic activity. Conclusion: Based on the present results, the use of a BBBGM as a pathogenic barrier should be considered as a tool for combating pathogenic colonisation and infection in acute and hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds.

Many commercially available wound products focus on improving one stage of the wound healing cascade. While this targeted approach works for specific wounds, there is a need for products that can reliably and comprehensively progress a wound through multiple stages. This preliminary in vitro study was performed to directly compare the inflammatory reduction and growth factor production effects of three commercially available wound care products: a collagen sheet (COL), a Manuka Honey Calcium Alginate sheet (MH), and a novel bioengineered sheet comprised of a collagen derivative (gelatin), Manuka honey, and hydroxyapatite (BCMH). Macrophages and human dermal fibroblasts were directly seeded on all three commercial products, and supernatants were analyzed for inflammatory markers and growth factors, respectively. Comparing the MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio, BCMH resulted in 11× lower levels of this inflammation biomarker compared to COL, and 3× lower levels compared to MH. Both the COL and BCMH products created an environment conducive to expression and release of relevant growth factors, while the MH product showed the lowest levels of growth factor expression of all three commercially available products tested. The favorable 11× lower MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio observed with the BCMH product compared to the COL product suggests that the BCMH products provided a superior comprehensive approach to healthy progression of the wounds by providing an additional benefit of reducing the inflammatory response in vitro.