Scientists from Voronezh State University and their colleagues from Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University developed complexes with ficin and chitosan nanoparticles from crustacean shells. They made it possible to destroy bacterial films on wounds 1.5-2 times more effectively. This was reported by Marina Holyavka, Professor of the Department of Biophysics and Biotechnology of the Biomedical Faculty of VSU:
“We obtained various enzyme complexes, and ficin complexes turned out to be the most promising. Then we obtained these complexes with nano- and microparticles of chitosan, which resulted in a 20 per cent increase in their biological activity against bacterial films. This means that they penetrate the bacterial film faster and destroy it more effectively than the ficin complexes. <...> The addition of chitosan also has an effective effect on the destruction of dental plaque, which is also a product of bacteria.”
Marina Holyavka added that the scientists also tested the effect of the ficin complex with chitosan on bacterial films, which were sampled by washing off the teeth of volunteers, including streptococci, Candida fungi, staphylococci, and noted that the complex completely destroyed them:
“We treated them for three hours, and the viability of these bacteria was almost completely eliminated. <...> If a complex with ficin and carboxymecylchitosan is added to the mouthwash solution, it will be 1.5 times more effective against candida and up to 2 times more effective against streptococcus.”
The VSU professor noted that the project took about a year, it was supported by a grant of the Russian Science Foundation. According to Marina Holyavka, ficin is obtained from figs, chitosan is extracted from the shells of crabs, crustaceans, and chitinous coverings of insects, such as bees. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and haemostatic properties.
Source: TASS Science
