Obtaining a phototoxic complex based on silver nanoparticles and riboflavin generating reactive oxygen species

As an alternative to antibiotics, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy method leads to the treatment on microorganisms and does not cause the development of resistance. This work demonstrates the use of flavin mononucleotide (FMN), which acts as a photosensitizer capable of generating singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species, that have a phototoxic effect to bacteria. The effectiveness of its action increases in the case of the use of silver nanoparticles with antibacterial activity. This study presents the development of approaches for the controlled increase in the effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using FMN-silver nanoparticle complexes. The formation of the complex is accompanied by the generation of radicals upon 365 nm irradiation, that has extreme dependence and also leads to a change in the fluorescence kinetics. The introduction of triethanolamine activator to FMN into the system leads to the generation of radicals. The method of synthesis of silver nanoparticles also significantly affects the optical properties of the formed complex.