Three female scientists have found a way to combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which shows widespread antibiotic resistance. The Patent Office of the Republic of Poland has granted a patent for an invention developed at the Department for the Study of Biologically Active Compounds at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG. Its authors are dr Aleksandra Bielicka-Giełdoń from the Faculty of Chemistry of UG, and dr Marta Krychowiak-Maśnicka and dr hab. inż. Aleksandra Królicka, prof. UG from the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG.
A patent, and thus protection in Poland, has been granted for an invention entitled ‘Antibacterial agent with antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its application’.
‘The developed formula is a solution aimed at increasing the therapeutic potential of silver in the treatment of wound infections caused by P. aeruginosa,’ says dr Marta Krychowiak-Maśnicka, who heads research on the potential of the synergistic phenomenon against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens. ‘It exploits the synergistic potential of silver and naphthoquinones to combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which shows widespread antibiotic resistance.’
Work on the invention was carried out in the laboratories of the Biologically Active Compounds Research Unit of the UG, headed by prof. Aleksandra Królicka. Regarding the characterisation of silver preparations, activities were supported by dr Aleksandra Bielicka-Giełdoń from the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, UG.
As we read in the patent application, the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, i.e. the ability to multiply in the presence of an antibiotic, is an increasingly common problem facing medicine. With an increasing number of microorganisms showing resistance to an expanding range of antibiotics, the pool of possible therapies used to treat infections is shrinking. Thus, the risk to human health and life is increasing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrate in recent reports that sustainable strategies for preventing and treating infectious diseases are needed as the post-antibiotic era takes hold.
The patented agent uses substances with antibacterial activity other than routinely used antibiotics. Moreover, the ingredients used enhance each other’s antibacterial potential, leading to a more effective removal of pathogen cells. This, in turn, allows for a significant reduction in doses of active substances by up to 97 per cent.
‘The invention may be significant in wound therapies, particularly chronic wounds, where silver-containing products are used and where efficacy is of great importance,’ emphasises dr Marta Krychowiak-Maśnicka.