journal article·2026-01-23Open access

Antimicrobial Activity of Acidifying Hyaluronic Acid–Starch Microfiber Dressings Against Clinical Isolates from Chronic Wounds

Ivana Stará, Petra Moťková, Markéta Vydržalová, Marcela Pejchalová, Ladislav Burgert, Radim Hrdina, Marek Bouška, Martin Adam, Karel Královec, Iveta Brožková

Abstract

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural biopolymer widely used in wound dressings for its supportive role in the healing process. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of microorganisms in chronic wounds and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of newly synthesized HA–Starch-based materials enriched with acidifying agents. Microbial isolates obtained from chronic wounds were tested for susceptibility using the agar diffusion method. The prepared materials exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both reference strains and multidrug-resistant clinical isolates. Further characterization by scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis confirmed uniform microfiber morphology and the expected elemental composition of the fibers. Cytotoxicity assessments performed using the xCELLigence system demonstrated the potential safety of developed materials. Overall, the results indicate that HA–Starch-based materials containing acidifying compounds exhibit strong in vitro antimicrobial activity against chronic-wound isolates, supporting their potential for further evaluation in wound care applications.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Wound Healing and Treatments · Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications · Surgical Sutures and Adhesives

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Biological and Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Macromolecular Materials, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

Department of Graphic Arts and Photophysics, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

Funding

The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic

References (58)

Show source-provided references
1. Carbohydrate Polymer-Based Silver Nanocomposites: Recent Progress in the Antimicrobial Wound Dressings10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115696 ↗
2. Negut, I., Grumezescu, V., and Grumezescu, A. (2018). Treatment Strategies for Infected Wounds. Molecules, 23.10.3390/molecules23092392 ↗
3. Antibacterial Activity of Wound Healing Spacer Materials Coated with Green Synthesized AgNP–AMP Conjugates against “ESKAPE” Members of Clinical Isolates from Different Types of Wounds
4. Bacterial Contribution in Chronicity of Wounds10.1007/s00248-016-0867-9 ↗
5. Della Sala, F., Longobardo, G., Fabozzi, A., Di Gennaro, M., and Borzacchiello, A. (2022). Hyaluronic Acid-Based Wound Dressing with Antimicrobial Properties for Wound Healing Application. Appl. Sci., 12.10.3390/app12063091 ↗
6. Wound Dressings: Current Advances and Future Directions10.1002/app.47738 ↗
7. Fiedot-Toboła, M., Ciesielska, M., Maliszewska, I., Rac-Rumijowska, O., Suchorska-Woźniak, P., Teterycz, H., and Bryjak, M. (2018). Deposition of Zinc Oxide on Different Polymer Textiles and Their Antibacterial Properties. Materials, 11.10.3390/ma11050707 ↗
8. Gardikiotis, I., Cojocaru, F.-D., Mihai, C.-T., Balan, V., and Dodi, G. (2022). Borrowing the Features of Biopolymers for Emerging Wound Healing Dressings: A Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.10.3390/ijms23158778 ↗
9. A Device to Predict Short-Term Healing Outcome of Chronic Wounds10.1089/wound.2019.1064 ↗
10. Sim, P., Strudwick, X.L., Song, Y., Cowin, A.J., and Garg, S. (2022). Influence of Acidic pH on Wound Healing In Vivo: A Novel Perspective for Wound Treatment. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.10.3390/ijms232113655 ↗
11. Anti-Bacterial Materials Based on Hyaluronic Acid: Selection of Research Methodology and Analysis of Their Anti-Bacterial Properties10.1016/j.msec.2018.08.043 ↗
12. Smith, R., Russo, J., Fiegel, J., and Brogden, N. (2020). Antibiotic Delivery Strategies to Treat Skin Infections When Innate Antimicrobial Defense Fails. Antibiotics, 9.10.3390/antibiotics9020056 ↗
13. Modified Hyaluronic Acid-Based Materials for Biomedical Applications10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.10.049 ↗
14. Fallacara, A., Baldini, E., Manfredini, S., and Vertuani, S. (2018). Hyaluronic Acid in the Third Millennium. Polymers, 10.10.3390/polym10070701 ↗
15. Modified Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels with Chemical Groups That Facilitate Adhesion to Host Tissues Enhance Cartilage Regeneration
16. Hyaluronic Acid-Based Microneedle Array: Recent Applications in Drug Delivery and Cosmetology10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118168 ↗
17. Alginate Membranes Loaded with Hyaluronic Acid and Silver Nanoparticles to Foster Tissue Healing and to Control Bacterial Contamination of Non-Healing Wounds10.1007/s10856-018-6027-7 ↗
18. Trombino, S., Servidio, C., Curcio, F., and Cassano, R. (2019). Strategies for Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogel Design in Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics, 11.10.3390/pharmaceutics11080407 ↗
19. Hyaluronic Acid-Based Wound Dressings: A Review10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116364 ↗
20. Serra, M., Casas, A., Toubarro, D., Barros, A.N., and Teixeira, J.A. (2023). Microbial Hyaluronic Acid Production: A Review. Molecules, 28.10.3390/molecules28052084 ↗
21. Production of Hyaluronic Acid from Streptococcus zooepidemicus MTCC 3523 and Its Wound Healing Activity10.1016/j.jbiosc.2010.10.012 ↗
22. Role of Hyaluronic Acids and Potential as Regenerative Biomaterials in Wound Healing10.1021/acsabm.0c01364 ↗
23. Kubíčková, J., Medek, T., Husby, J., Matonohová, J., Vágnerová, H., Marholdová, L., Velebný, V., and Chmelař, J. (2021). Nonwoven Textiles from Hyaluronan for Wound Healing Applications. Biomolecules, 12.10.3390/biom12010016 ↗
24. Burgert, L., Hrdina, R., Brožková, I., Alafid, F., Krejčová, A., and Moťková, P. (2023). Kryt Ran. (CZ Patent 309762 B6).
25. Ren, T., Gan, J., Zhou, L., and Chen, H. (2020). Physically Crosslinked Hydrogels Based on Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Fish Gelatin for Wound Dressing Application: Fabrication and Characterization. Polymers, 12.10.3390/polym12081729 ↗
26. Salicylic Acid as a Peeling Agent: A Comprehensive Review10.2147/CCID.S84765 ↗
27. Burgert, L., Hrdina, R., Masek, D., and Velebny, V. (2012). Hyaluronan Fibres, Method of Preparation Thereof and Use Thereof. (WO Patent 2012089179 A1).
28. Burgert, L., Hrdina, R., Velebny, V., Mohsen, A., Sulakova, R., Sobotka, L., Betak, J., and Smurnou, D. (2013). Method of Preparation of Polysaccharide Fibres, Wound Covers That Contain Them, Method of Manufacturing of Wound Covers, and Apparatus for Preparation of Polysaccharide Fibres. (WO Patent 2013167098 A2).
29. Low-Temperature Synthesis of GeTe Nanoparticles10.1002/chem.202402319 ↗
30. Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles with Parameters Required for In Vivo Applications: From Synthesis to Parametrization10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00370 ↗
31. The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (2024, January 10). Breakpoint Tables for Interpretation of MICs and Zone Diameters, Version 13.0. Available online: https://www.eucast.org.
32. Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using a novel dilution tube method10.5897/AJMR2017.8545 ↗
33. Comparative analysis of volatile profiles and antimicrobial activities of freeze-dried and oven-dried pomegranate seeds: Implications for waste valorization in a circular economy10.1007/s13399-024-05817-6 ↗
34. (2019). Clinical Laboratory Testing and In Vitro Diagnostic Test Systems—Susceptibility Testing of Infectious Agents and Evaluation of Performance of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Devices—Part 1: Reference Method for Testing the In Vitro Activity of Antimicrobial Agents Against Rapidly Growing Aerobic Bacteria (Standard No. ISO 20776-1:2019).
35. (2021). Clinical Laboratory Testing and In Vitro Diagnostic Test Systems—Susceptibility Testing of Infectious Agents and Evaluation of Performance of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Devices—Part 2: Evaluation of Performance of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Devices Against Reference Methods (Standard No. ISO 20776-2:2021).
36. Královec, K., Melounková, L., Slováková, M., Mannová, N., Sedlák, M., Bartáček, J., and Havelek, R. (2020). Disruption of Cell Adhesion and Cytoskeletal Networks by Thiol-Functionalized Silica-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 21.10.3390/ijms21249350 ↗
37. Microbiology of Pressure Ulcers: A Systematic Review
38. Neumann, A., Björck, L., and Frick, I.-M. (2020). Finegoldia magna, an Anaerobic Gram-Positive Bacterium of the Normal Human Microbiota, Induces Inflammation by Activating Neutrophils. Front. Microbiol., 11.10.3389/fmicb.2020.00065 ↗
39. Prevalence of Bacterial and Fungal Infected Chronic Leg Ulcers at a Teaching Hospital in Ghana10.4236/mps.2024.144009 ↗
40. Determining Risk Factors for Surgical Wound Dehiscence: A Literature Review10.1111/iwj.12088 ↗
41. Bacterial Spectrum from Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Study of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Phylogenetic Diversity10.1016/j.jksus.2024.103320 ↗
42. Złoch, M., Maślak, E., Kupczyk, W., Jackowski, M., Pomastowski, P., and Buszewski, B. (2021). Culturomics Approach to Identify Diabetic Foot Infection Bacteria. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 22.10.3390/ijms22179574 ↗
43. Occurrence of Corynebacterium striatum as an Emerging Antibiotic-Resistant Nosocomial Pathogen in a Tunisian Hospital10.1038/s41598-017-10081-y ↗
44. Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant Corynebacterium striatum as a Nosocomial Pathogen in Long-Term Hospitalized Patients with Underlying Diseases10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2005.08.005 ↗
45. Soldevila-Boixader, L., Carrera-Salinas, A., Mur, I., Morata, L., Rivera, A., Bosch, J., Montero-Saez, A., Castillejo, J.M., Benito, N., and Martí, S. (2025). Exploring the Microbiome of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Focus on Cases with a Clinical Worse Outcome. Antibiotics, 14.10.3390/antibiotics14070724 ↗
46. Zhang, N., Yu, X., Zhang, K., and Liu, T. (2020). A Retrospective Case Series of Fournier’s Gangrene: Necrotizing Fasciitis in Perineum and Perianal Region. BMC Surg., 20.10.1186/s12893-020-00916-3 ↗
47. Kwon, C., Sutaria, N., Khanna, R., Almazan, E., Williams, K., Kim, N., Elmariah, S., and Kwatra, S.G. (2020). Epidemiology and Comorbidities of Excoriation Disorder: A Retrospective Case-Control Study. J. Clin. Med., 9.10.3390/jcm9092703 ↗
48. Leslie, S.W., and Foreman, J. (2025, February 15). Fournier Gangrene, Available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549821/.
49. Bacteriostatic Effects of Hyaluronic Acid10.1902/jop.1999.70.4.370 ↗
50. Antiadhesive and Antibiofilm Activity of Hyaluronic Acid against Bacteria Responsible for Respiratory Tract Infections10.1111/apm.12254 ↗
51. Hyaluronic Acid Dressing (Healoderm) in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Single-Center Study10.1111/wrr.12428 ↗
52. Aspirin Is an Efficient Inhibitor of Quorum Sensing, Virulence and Toxins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa10.1016/j.micpath.2014.07.008 ↗
53. Effects of Aspirin and Other Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Biofilms and Planktonic Cells of Candida albicans10.1128/AAC.48.1.41-47.2004 ↗
54. The Assessment of the Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Aspirin, EDTA and Aspirin–EDTA Combination and Their Effectiveness as Antibiofilm Agents10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04205.x ↗
55. Salicylic Acid-Releasing Polyurethane Acrylate Polymers as Anti-Biofilm Urological Catheter Coatings10.1016/j.actbio.2012.01.032 ↗
56. A Novel Antibiofilm Technology for Contact Lens Solutions10.1016/S0161-6420(95)30949-9 ↗
57. Introduction: The Goals of Antimicrobial Therapy10.1016/S1201-9712(03)90064-6 ↗
58. Hobani, Y.H. (2022). Cytotoxicity of Mahanimbine from Curry Leaves in Human Breast Cancer Cells (MCF-7) via Mitochondrial Apoptosis and Anti-Angiogenesis. Molecules, 27.10.3390/molecules27030971 ↗