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Antifungal Activity and Cytotoxicity of Zinc, Calcium, or Copper Alginate Fibers

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Abstract

The antifungal properties and cytotoxicity of alginate fibers were investigated to widen their application in tissue engineering. Calcium, zinc, and copper alginate fibers were separately prepared by replacing Na+ with Ca2+, Zn2+, or Cu2+. The antifungal properties of the three alginate fibers were studied after coming into contact with Candida albicans. Then, the fungal inhibitory rates were measured using the plate-count method following shake-flask test. Moreover, an inhibition-zone test and observation by scanning electron microscopy were carried out. The inhibitory rate of the calcium, copper, and zinc alginate fibers were, respectively, 49.1, 68.6, and 92.2 %. The results from inhibition-zone test and shake-flask test show that zinc alginate fibers have the most significant antifungal action and that copper alginate fibers have obvious inhibitory action, but the calcium alginate fibers have weak inhibitory effects. The scanning electron micrographs similarly illustrate that the fungal surfaces show most scraggly after the interaction between C. albicans and zinc alginate fibers. Moreover, the relative growth rates of zinc or calcium alginate fibers in human embryonic kidney cells and human fibroblast cells were more than 100 %. No significant results were obtained (P > 0.05). The calcium alginate fibers in human fibroblast cells were not much different from the negative control group (P > 0.05). However, zinc alginate fibers had a significant change (P < 0.05). Therefore, the excellent antifungal property of zinc alginate fibers demonstrates potential application in skin tissue engineering comparing with calcium or copper alginate fibers.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2008AA03Z509), the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB612308), and Sci-Tech Plan Project of Qingdao (10-3-4-3-6-jch).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, the Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People’s Republic of China

    Ying Gong, Guangting Han, Yuanming Zhang, Ying Pan, Xianbo Li, Yanzhi Xia & Yan Wu

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  1. Ying Gong
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  2. Guangting Han
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  3. Yuanming Zhang
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  6. Yanzhi Xia
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  7. Yan Wu
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Correspondence to Guangting Han.

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Gong, Y., Han, G., Zhang, Y. et al. Antifungal Activity and Cytotoxicity of Zinc, Calcium, or Copper Alginate Fibers. Biol Trace Elem Res 148, 415–419 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-012-9388-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-012-9388-7

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