Surfactants: Role in Biofilm Management and Cellular Behaviour

Overview

Journal Int Wound J

Specialties Emergency Medicine
Orthopedics

Date 2019 Mar 19

PMID 30883044

Citations 19

Authors

Steven L Percival

Dieter Mayer

Robert S Kirsner

Greg Schultz

Dot Weir

Sashwati Roy

Afsaneh Alavi

Marco Romanelli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Appropriate and effective wound cleaning represents an important process that is necessary for preparing the wound for improved wound healing and for helping to dislodge biofilms. Wound cleaning is of paramount importance to wound bed preparation for helping to enhance wound healing. Surfactant applications in wound care may represent an important area in the cleaning continuum. However, understanding of the role and significance of surfactants in wound cleansing, biofilm prevention and control, and enhancing cellular viability and proliferation is currently lacking. Despite this, some recent evidence on poloxamer-based surfactants where the surfactants are present in high concentration have been shown to have an important role to play in biofilm management; matrix metalloproteinase modulation; reducing inflammation; and enhancing cellular proliferation, behaviour, and viability. Consequently, this review aims to discuss the role, mode of action, and clinical significance of the use of medically accepted surfactants, with a focus on concentrated poloxamer-based surfactants, to wound healing but, more specifically, the role they may play in biofilm management and effects on cellular repair.

Citing Articles

Comparison of antimicrobial efficacy and therapeutic index properties for common wound cleansing solutions, focusing on solutions containing PHMB.

Watson F, Chen R, Saint Bezard J, Percival S GMS Hyg Infect Control. 2025; 19():Doc73.

PMID: 39810808 PMC: 11730690. DOI: 10.3205/dgkh000528.

Characterization and Molecular Insights of a Chromium-Reducing Bacterium .

Tuli S, Ali M, Jamal T, Khan M, Fatima N, Ahmed I Microorganisms. 2025; 12(12.

PMID: 39770835 PMC: 11676387. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12122633.

Wound Gel Formulations Containing Poloxamer 407 and Polyhexanide Have Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity Against Wound-Associated Microbial Pathogens.

Visvalingam J, Yakandawala N, Regmi S, Adeniji A, Sharma P, Sailer M Microorganisms. 2024; 12(11).

PMID: 39597749 PMC: 11596435. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12112362.

Surfactants' Interplay with Biofilm Development in and .

Aonofriesei F Pharmaceutics. 2024; 16(5).

PMID: 38794319 PMC: 11125353. DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050657.

Biofilm therapy for chronic wounds.

Liu Y, Long S, Wang H, Wang Y Int Wound J. 2024; 21(2):e14667.

PMID: 38339793 PMC: 10858329. DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14667.

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