Antibacterial Properties and Antibiotic Permeability of Human Amniotic Membrane

Abstract

Purpose:: To report in vitro findings of Human Amniotic Membrane (HAM) permeability to various antibiotics and also the antibacterial properties of HAM incubated with and without broad spectrum antibacterials.

Methods:: HAM were incubated with (HAM-Ab+) and without (HAM-Ab-)broad spectrum antibacterials before storing at -80 ºC. Four sheep blood agar for each organism ( Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans) were inoculated with 10 microliters of microbial suspension ^{_{( 10}6 _{CFU/ml ).}} HAM were placed onto the agar plates covering bacterial suspensions. Equal amounts of Vancomycine and Ceftazidime were mixed and diluted to 25 mg/ml concentration and added on to bacterial suspensions covered by HAM. Amphotericin B (1%) was used for C.albicans. HAM placement without organisms and antibiotic mixture over organisms without HAM served as controls.

Results:: After incubation for 24 hours at 37 ºC no bacterial growth was seen in HAM sterility controls. No growth was seen in any of the plates with topical antibiotic application. Growth were detected in all samples without topical antibiotic application except HAM-Ab+ with S.aureus (n:10)

Conclusions:: Under invitro conditions HAM without any antibiotic pretreatment (HAM-Ab-) doesn't seem to have any antimicrobial effect. HAM-AB+ only inhibits S.aureus ( reservoir effect ). HAM with topical antibacterials prevents microbial growth under culture medium and demonstrates antibiotic permeability of the tissue.

Keywords: keratitis • drug toxicity/drug effects • antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics