Spider silk holds great promise for commercial and consumer applications. It is actually a pretty incredible material when it comes to first aid. So, this time scientists have created synthetic spider silk with antibiotic properties. Scientists from the UK have created Antibiotic spider silk that could help deliver drugs and close open wounds with a decreased risk of infection.
This antibiotic spider silk incorporates from E. coli bacteria. It complies molecules to its structure, infusing it with different substances that make for a better bandage.
Corresponding author Neil Thomas, “Our technique allows the rapid generation of biocompatible, mono or multi-functionalised silk structures for use in a wide range of applications. These will be particularly useful in the fields of tissue engineering and biomedicine.”
According to scientists, using spider silk as wound dressing goes all the way back to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
To keep the wound clean, this antibiotic spider silk consists of soldiers using a honey-vinegar mixture. It then wrapped in wads of spider silk to keep it safe.
Scientists then discovered that they could ‘decorate’ the silk by covering it with antibiotic levofloxacin. Levofloxacin is a drug commonly used for treating bacterial infections.
Scientists then clicked molecules into place inside a solution of synthesized spider silk. They did this before the proteins turn into the actual strands. Then they added extra materials make it into actual yarn with added properties.
Sara Goodacre said, “There might be more interesting ‘tweaks’ one could make so that the silk could be ‘decorated’ with different, useful, compounds either permanently or which could be released over time due to a change in the acidity of the environment.“