PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to coat surgical sutures with a new quaternary ammonium silane (QAS) antimicrobial compound at two different application temperatures and then to evaluate the resulting structural, physical, mechanical, and biological properties.
STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted using male albino Wistar rats approved by the Joint Ethical Committee of IMU and Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore. Only suture samples, coated uniformly with verified presence of the compound and of adequate length were used. Samples which were not coated uniformly and with inadequate length or damaged were excluded.
PREDICTOR VARIABLE: Predictor variables were sutures with and without QAS coatings and different temperatures. Sutures were coated with QAS at 0.5 and 1.0% wt/vol using the dip coating technique and sutures with and without QAS coating were tested at 25 and 40 °C temperatures.
MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE(S): Outcome variables of structural and physico-mechanical properties of QAS-coated and non-coated sutures were measured using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (for structural changes), confocal laser and scanning electron (for diameter changes), and tensile strength/modulus (for mechanical testing). Biologic outcome variables were tested (bacterial viability); macrophage cultures from Wistar rats were tested (M1/M2 polarization detecting IL-6 and IL-10). Macrophage cells were analyzed with CD80+ (M1) and CD163+ (M2). Chemotaxis index was calculated as a ratio of quantitative fluorescence of cells.
COVARIATES: Not applicable.
ANALYSES: Ordinal data among groups were compared using the Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney U test along with the comparison of histological analysis using the Wilcoxon Sign-rank test (P strength/modulus was observed for 0.5% QAS-coated samples which also had significantly higher antibacterial characteristics than other sutures (P
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to prepare FMF with different formulations using solvent casting methods and to compare the effects of different drying methods, including oven drying and freeze drying, on the properties of the films.
METHODS: Various formulations were created by manipulating polymer types (starch, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and guar gum) at different concentrations, along with fixed concentrations of QTP and other excipients. Characterization tests including surface morphology, weight, thickness, pH, tensile strength, elongation length, Young's modulus, folding endurance and disintegration time were conducted. The optimal FMF formulation was identified and further evaluated for moisture and drug content, dissolution behavior, accelerated stability, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and palatability.
RESULTS: FMF containing 10 mg guar gum/film developed using oven drying emerged as the optimum choice, exhibiting desirable film appearance, ultra-thin thickness (0.453 ± 0.002 mm), appropriate pH for oral intake (pH 5.0), optimal moisture content of 11.810%, rapid disintegration (52.67 ± 1.53 s), high flexibility (folding endurance > 300 times) and lower Young's modulus (1.308 ± 0.214).
CONCLUSION: Oven drying method has been proven to be favorable for developing FMF containing QTP, meeting all testing criteria and providing an alternative option for QTP prescription.