Traditional and new approaches to the creation of biomedical materials based on polyhydroxyalkanoates with antimicrobial activity

This thematic review considers the principles of creating biomedical materials based on biopolymers and their compositions for various medical needs. The direction of creating materials with antimicrobial activity is especially emphasized using the example of polyhydroxyalkanoates. These biopolymers and composites based on them occupy leading positions in the production of medical devices. Polyhydroxyalkanoates as a class of biopolymers, as well as polyhydroxybutyrate, the most suitable representative of this class for biomedical products, were analyzed from the point of view of increasing resistance to microorganisms. Progress in this direction has been reported in recent years. The influence of the supramolecular and molecular structure of materials on the ability to biodegrade in the environment and in a living organism is considered in sufficient detail. The advantage of mixtures of biopolymers for achieving high degradation rates compared to the original polymers was noted. Promising antiseptics based on porphyrin metal complexes in combination with biopolymer nonwoven fibrous matrices have been demonstrated. Features of preclinical tests of antiseptic materials are considered. Based on this review of research papers, it can be concluded that the structural organization of a polymeric material or composite determines the level of intermolecular interactions during the formation of the material and thereby programs the complex of functional properties and the degradation mechanism under the influence of aggressive external factors.