This delicate nanoflower is downright deadly to bacteria

A carnation-like nanostructure could someday be used in bandages to promote wound healing. Researchers report in ACS Applied Bio Materials that laboratory tests of their nanoflower-coated dressings demonstrate antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and biocompatible properties. They say these results show these tannic acid and copper(II) phosphate sprouted nanoflower bandages are promising candidates for treating infections and inflammatory conditions.

Nanoflowers are tiny, self-assembling structures. But their large surface area provides plenty of space to attach drug molecules, making the flowers particularly suitable for delivering medications. For their bandage blooms, Fatemeh Ahmadpoor, Pier Francesco Ferrari and colleagues chose copper(II) phosphate and tannic acid because of the antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties of both reagents. After growing their flowers in a saline solution, the researchers attached the bioinspired structures onto strips of electrospun nanofiber fabric. In tests, the nanoflower-coated bandages inactivated a broad spectrum of cultured bacteria (including E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) and their antibiotic-resistant biofilms, scavenged reactive oxygen species, and didn’t damage lab-grown human cells.

Ahmadpoor and Ferrari say these nanoflower-coated bandages represent a breakthrough advancement by providing a natural, cost-effective and highly efficient solution for combating infections and accelerating wound healing, with the potential to redefine treatment standards.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

###

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community and champion scientific integrity, and its vision is a world built on science. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Follow us: X, formerly Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram