Features of the wound healing process in mice during photodynamic therapy with fotoditazin and methylene blue in the presence of amphiphilic polymers and sodium alginate

Valeriya Kardumyan, Rehanguli Aimaier, Alexey Fayzullin, Anastasia Kuryanova, Ru‐Lin Huang, Qingfeng Li, Yana Khristidis, Peter Timashev, Anna Solovieva

Introduction The development of photosensitizers with high tissue penetration and strong antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms is at the forefront of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy research. Reducing the aggregation of photosensitizers (PS) in aqueous solutions through the addition of amphiphilic polymers can enhance their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and, consequently, improve the efficacy of photodynamic treatment. Previously, we demonstrated that amphiphilic polymers increase the singlet oxygen generation activity of porphyrin photosensitizers and certain dyes by promoting the disaggregation of hydrophobic PS molecules. Results and Discussion In the present study, we performed a comparative investigation of photodynamic treatment of model wounds in mice using methylene blue dye and Fotoditazin as PS, both in the presence and absence of the amphiphilic polymer Pluronic F108. In addition, sodium alginate was incorporated into the photosensitizing systems to provide an additional antibacterial effect on the wound. Conclusion These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of photosensitizer–polymer systems containing sodium alginate in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy for difficult-to-treat wounds.