Micromotor-Enabled Active Hydrogen and Tobramycin Delivery for Synergistic Sepsis Therapy

Sepsis is a highly heterogeneous syndrome normally characterized by bacterial infection and dysregulated systemic inflammatory response that leads to multiple organ failure and death. Single anti-inflammation or anti-infection treatment exhibits limited survival benefit for severe cases. Here a biodegradable tobramycin-loaded magnesium micromotor (Mg-Tob motor) is successfully developed as a potential hydrogen generator and active antibiotic deliverer for synergistic therapy of sepsis. The peritoneal fluid of septic mouse provides an applicable space for Mg-water reaction. Hydrogen generated sustainably and controllably from the motor interface propels the motion to achieve active drug delivery along with attenuating hyperinflammation. The developed Mg-Tob motor demonstrates efficient protection from anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, it prevents multiple organ failure and significantly improves the survival rate up to 87.5% in a high-grade sepsis model with no survival, whereas only about half of mice survive with the individual therapies. This micromotor displays the superior therapeutic effect of synergistic hydrogen-chemical therapy against sepsis, thus holding great promise to be an innovative and translational drug delivery system to treat sepsis or other inflammation-related diseases in the near future.