The effect of dexamethasone addition to gentamicin polymeric films of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/chitosan and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/polyvinylpyrrolidone

Many polymeric film formulas containing antibiotics failed in preventing microbial infections due to microbial resistance. One of the main reasons for microbial resistance is the formation of biofilm layers which prevent the drug from reaching the active site. This study aims to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone addition to polymeric film formula containing gentamicin. The polymeric formula containing both dexamethasone and gentamicin were characterized in terms of film's diameters, content uniformity, moisture content, matrix‐drugs association, and drug release. Antibiofilm and antimicrobial activity were used to evaluate polymeric formula containing drug. The addition of dexamethasone to the polymeric formula revealed that most of dexamethasone released and diffused in the first 300 min, while gentamicin release and diffusion had a slower rate like the release of gentamicin from formulations without dexamethasone. The addition of dexamethasone resulted in improved antibiofilm and antibacterial activity with the lowest antibiofilm activity >96% and antibacterial activity >87%. Therefore, dexamethasone addition to polymeric formula containing gentamicin improved the biological activity without any effects on the film characteristics.Highlights Dexamethasone addition to polymeric formula containing gentamicin significantly improved the biological activity. Most of dexamethasone released and diffused in the first 300 min. The addition of dexamethasone resulted in the lowest antibiofilm activity of gentamicin of >96% and antibacterial activity >87%.