Scientists have synthesized an antibiotic from cobwebs to treat wounds

Silky elastic web itself is already a miracle of nature. Nevertheless, researchers have improved the natural material even more, creating on its basis antibiotics that can help in wound healing and cell repair.

Important research

After five years of research, scientists from the University of Nottingham managed to master a technique that uses new developments in the chemical industry to synthesize antibiotics from cobwebs.

Working with the new material involves the interaction of an amino acid with an azide group, which is widely used in "click-chemistry." Adding bacteria at that stage, while the web is not yet produced, the researchers found that it is possible to incorporate certain molecules into fibers under certain conditions.

As an experiment, they added molecules, such as levofloxacin, and "put them" in the right place. When they did this, it was found that the spider web produced by such a spider had antibacterial properties. The drug is released at a certain rate, so the material is biodegradable. This is a huge advantage that can be used in the manufacture of wound dressings.

Scope of application

"There is the possibility of using cobwebs in the manufacture of dressings that treat slowly healing wounds, such as diabetic ulcers," explains Professor Neil Thomas, co-author of a study published in the journal Advanced Materials. "With our technique, infections can be prevented for several weeks Or months, by controlled release of antibiotics, while tissue regeneration is accelerated by the action of spider fibers, a feature already scientifically proven and actively used I have to practice. "

The added molecules can be applied in such a way that they are retained by the silk proteins before or after they form the arachnoid filament. A person can even add a whole series of molecules that give the web a few different properties.

Research continues

Now the researchers are going to go deeper into the work and learn how they can use the new properties of the web. They hope that their research will encourage other laboratories to do the same. After all, the web still has a lot of unexplored properties.