Efecto Inhibitorio de Películas de Quitosano y Papaína Activadas con Plasma en Streptococcus mutans

Inhibitory Effect of Plasma-Activated Chitosan-Papain Films on Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

Chitosan is a natural polymer with great potential in various applications, has been widely used in different areas such as agriculture, to produce bactericides and fungicides, among others. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme, is commonly used for wound treatment, meat tenderizing, beer clarification, among other applications, it possesses medicinal properties and has generated significant interest in accelerating the healing process and its antimicrobial activity. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the inhibitory effect of chitosan and papain films activated with plasma on Streptococcus mutans. Chitosan-papain films were prepared using the casting method, incorporating chitosan and papain. The structural and thermal properties of the films were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, revealing interactions between chitosan and papain. An enzymatic activity assay confirmed the proteolytic function of papain. The antimicrobial efficacy of the films was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, showing resistance in all treatments with minimal inhibition zones (< 10 mm). Although the inhibition zones were small, the films inhibited
bacterial growth directly where they were placed. The study concludes that chitosan-papain films exhibit some antimicrobial activity against S. mutans. However, further optimization is needed to enhance their efficacy.