Background: Aloe vera
L., member of the Liliaceae family, has been shown to stimulate cell
proliferation and contribute to healing and angiogenesis, has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antiinflammatory
activity. In addition,
Aloe vera can be used as a support for drug transport. Our objective
is to evaluate antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of sponges of
Aloe vera L. for use as a carrying
support of drugs.
Results: In this work, sponge of free
Aloe vera (AV) loaded with amoxicillin (AMX) or nystatin (NYS) at
1% w/w, were prepared and physico-chemically characterized via X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Antimicrobial potency of AV sponge alone, loaded with
AMX or NYS, against strains of
Streptococcus mutans
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
,
Enterococcus faecalis
and
Candida albicans
was determined. Osteoblasts
and human gingival fibroblasts were cultivated on AV,
Aloe vera loaded with amoxicillin (AV/AMX) and
Aloe vera loaded with nystatin (AV/NYS) and cellular viability was assessed. The physico-chemical
characterization performed suggested that the loaded drugs were dispersed in the sponge and those
interactions between the AV sponge and the loaded drugs were weak. Furthermore, AV loaded with
AMX or NYS demonstrated antimicrobial potency and osteoblasts and fibroblasts were viable after 24
hrs on free AV, and AV loaded with AMX or NYS.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that sponges of free AV, loaded with AMX or NYS, are
biocompatible and exhibit antimicrobial activity.
