Abstract: Moxifloxacin/nanofibrillated cellulose(NFC) sustained-release films were prepared by compounding the TEMPO oxidized NFC with the broad-spectrum antibacterial moxifloxacin through the vacuum filtration. The influences of the NFC carboxyl contents and homogenizing times on mechanical properties, swelling properties and drug release properties of sustained-release films were investigated. The antibacterial effect of sustained-release films was also explored. Results showed that when the NFC carboxyl contents was 1.13 mmol/g, homogenizing times were 8 times, the sustained-release film exhibited the elastic modulus of 3.48 GPa and the equilibrium swelling ratio of 6.03 which was higher than that of the NFC film; and when the drug-loading rate of the moxifloxacin/NFC sustained-release films was 21 %, the moxifloxacin was released about 19.96 % within 8 h. The drug release curves of moxifloxacin/NFC sustained-release films with different carboxyl contents all conformed to the Peppas equation. As the homogenizing times and pH increase, the drug release of sustained-release films was dominated by osmotic and swelling release into diffusion release which was driven by concentration difference, correspondingly, the drug release curves changed from being fitted by Higuchi equation to Peppas equation. The inhibition zone's diameters of standard staphylococcus aureus were in the range of 4.38-6.33mm around the sustained-release films, which indicated that the moxifloxacin/NFC had obvious antibacterial effect. The moxifloxacin/NFC film with the carboxyl content of 1.70 mmol/g and homogenizing time of 8 had the best antibacterial effect.

Key words: moxifloxacin, nanofibrillated cellulose, sustained-release films, drug release property, antibacterial effect