Formulation and in vitro evaluation of bisphosphonate loaded microspheres for implantation in osteolysis

Chitosan and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) microspheres loaded with alendronate sodium (AS) were prepared for orthopedic as well as dental applications. In orthopedics the aim was to make the total joint prostheses stay in the body for a long time without causing bone tissue loss, while in dentistry it was aimed to treat the alveolar bone resorption caused by periodontitis and also to make the dental treatment using implants easier by reducing the bone loss in patients with osteoporosis. Solvent evaporation method was used to prepare AS loaded PLGA microspheres and emulsion polimerization method was used to prepare AS loaded chitosan microspheres. Particle size, loading efficacy, surface characteristics, and in vitro release characteristics were examined on prepared formulations. After the examination of the scanning electron microscopy photographs of microspheres, chitosan microspheres were observed to have spherical structure and smooth surface characteristics while PLGA microspheres were observed to have spherical porous surface structure. Loading efficacy was found to be 3.30% for chitosan microspheres and 7.70% for PLGA microspheres. It was observed that 85% of AS had been released at the end of the third day from chitosan microspheres whereas 58% was released at the end of the fifth day from PLGA microspheres. It was found that chitosan microspheres gave first order release while PLGA microspheres gave zero order release.