Antimicrobial activity of antibiotic-treated amniotic membrane: An in vitro study

PURPOSE: To investigate if amniotic membrane incubated with antibiotics could inhibit bacterial growth in vitro. METHODS: Amniotic membrane fragments were incubated with the antibiotics (netilmicin) solution; the washed and drained fragments were either tested after treatment or further incubated in antibiotic-free medium. The antibacterial activity of both amniotic membrane and elution media was carried out by the Agar diffusion method, with Staphylococcus epidermidis as indicator, measuring the inhibition zone after overnight incubation. RESULTS: The amniotic membrane fragments soaked in antibiotics inhibited bacterial growth. Antibiotic uptake was dose-dependent and occurred rapidly. The drug was released from the membrane, and the antibacterial effect was present in the elution media at least 3 days after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary in vitro data show that amniotic membrane can absorb the antibiotic netilmicin and in the future may be used to deliver antibiotics, as reported for collagen shields and other medical prosthetic devices. PMID: 16670480 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]