| Summary: | The species of <i>Candida</i> present good capability to form fungal biofilms on polymeric surfaces and are related to several human diseases since many of the employed medical devices are designed using polymers, especially high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Herein, HDPE films containing 0; 0.125; 0.250 or 0.500 wt% of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C<sub>16</sub>MImCl) or its analog 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (C<sub>16</sub>MImMeS) were obtained by melt blending and posteriorly mechanically pressurized into films. This approach resulted in more flexible and less brittle films, which impeded the <i>Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis</i>, and <i>C. tropicalis</i> biofilm formation on their surfaces. The employed imidazolium salt (IS) concentrations did not present any significant cytotoxic effect, and the good cell adhesion/proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells on the HDPE-IS films indicated good biocompatibility. These outcomes combined with the absence of microscopic lesions in pig skin after contact with HDPE-IS films demonstrated their potential as biomaterials for the development of effective medical device tools that reduce the risk of fungal infections.
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