Title: Nanocellulose conjugated with polylysine and polyarginine: their antimicrobial activity and toxicity

Authors: Rahime Bazrafshan; Seyedhossein Hekmatimoghaddam; Ali Jebali

Addresses: Department of Biology, Ashkezar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ashkezar, Iran ' Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Postal code: 8916733754, Yazd, Iran ' Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Postal code: 8916733754, Yazd, Iran

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and toxicity of polylysine (PL), polyarginine (PA), nanocellulose conjugated with polylysine (NCPL), and nanocellulose conjugated with polyarginine (NCPA). Here, nanocellulose was synthesised by hydrolysis, and then conjugated with PL and PA by carbodiimide cross-linker. Next, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of PL, PA, NCPL, and NCPA were tested by micro-dilution method and inhibition zone. Also, their toxicity on the mouse skin cells and mouse esophageal cells was evaluated by MTT assay. This study showed that PL and NCPL had higher antifungal activity than PA and NCPA. On the other hand, PA and NCPA had higher antibacterial activity than PL and NCPL. MTT assay showed that NCPL and NCPA had less toxicity than PL and PA. The authors suggest that both NCPL and NCPA are good candidates to use inside of foodstuffs, in the food packaging and textile materials.

Keywords: antimicrobial activity; toxicity; nanocellulose; polylysine; polyarginine; antifungal activity; NCPA; NCPL; carbodiimide cross-linking; mouse skin cells; mouse esophageal cells; conjugation; foodstuffs; food packaging; textile materials.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNBM.2015.073154

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials, 2015 Vol.6 No.1, pp.29 - 40

Received: 28 Aug 2014
Accepted: 23 May 2015

Published online: 25 Nov 2015 *

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