Development of Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (PACT) for Clostridium difficile.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and pseudo membranous colitis in the developed world. The aim of this study was to explore whether Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (PACT) could be used as a novel approach to treating C. difficile infections.

Methods

PACT utilises the ability of light-activated photosensitisers (PS) to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as free radical species and singlet oxygen, which are lethal to cells. We screened thirteen PS against C. difficile planktonic cells, biofilm and germinating spores in vitro, and cytotoxicity of effective compounds was tested on the colorectal adenocarcinoma cell-line HT-29.

Results

Three PS were able to kill 99.9% of bacteria in both aerobic and an

SUBMITTER: De Sordi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4551672 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature