Coating of surgical sutures with microalgae extract with antimicrobial activity

Sutures can cause surgical site infections due to capillary effects that allow bacteria to penetrate wounds. Sutures serve as excellent surfaces for microbial adhesion followed by colonization, biofilm formation, and surgical site infection. Various antimicrobial sutures have been developed to prevent surgical site infection from sutures. However, depending on the surgical site, antimicrobial sutures may be ineffective and may have drawbacks of antimicrobial agents on them. Microalgae are a natural source of highly active biologically active compounds. These compounds have received much attention from researchers and companies in recent years due to their potential applications in different life sciences. Applications include the production of biomass for food and feed, and the production of bioactive compounds for the medical and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, it was aimed to prevent surgical side infections by coating the suture material with microalgae-derived extracts showing antimicrobial activity, to prevent the bacteria resistant to chemicals, to ensure the continuation of the antibacterial effect and thus to benefit the industry search. Firstly, sutures were coated with Spirulina platensis, Haematacoccus pluvialis, Chlorella minutissima, Botryococcus braunii and Nostoc muscorum extracts obtained by different solvents and sonication and antibacterial effects were tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. Biocompatibility was evaluated by cytotoxicity test. All coated sutures showed antibacterial effect and met the diameters and knot breaking strength values of the United State Pharmacopoeia. In terms of biocompatibility, sutures coated with Spirulina platensis and Nostoc muscorum extracts have acceptable cytotoxic levels according to ISO 10993-5. Spirulina platensis extracts have shown the highest potential for human application. As a result, sutures coated with microalgae extracts with antimicrobial activity can be considered as new alternative materials for the control and prevention of surgical site infections. Keywords: Microalgae, Spirulina platensis, Haematacoccus pluvialis, Chlorella minutissima, Botryococcus braunii, Nostoc muscorum, antibacterial activity, suture, antibacterial suture, sugical site infection