MBG/PLGA composite microspheres with prolonged drug release

Xia Li1, Xiupeng Wang, Lingxia Zhang

  • 1State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Insights

Mesoporous bioactive glass/poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) composite microspheres offer sustained gentamicin release for over 4 weeks. This makes them promising for bone repair applications, combining antibiotic delivery with bone regeneration properties.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • Mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBG) are investigated for drug delivery.
  • Biodegradable polymers like poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) are used in biomedical applications.
  • Gentamicin (GS) is a common antibiotic for bone infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prepare and characterize MBG and MBG/PLGA composite microspheres for gentamicin loading.
  • To evaluate the in vitro drug release kinetics of gentamicin from these microspheres.
  • To assess the potential of MBG/PLGA composites as drug delivery systems for bone repair.

Main Methods:

  • Preparation of MBG and MBG/PLGA composite microspheres.
  • Loading of gentamicin (GS) into the microspheres.
  • In vitro drug release studies in distilled water and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37°C for over 30 days.

Main Results:

  • MBG microspheres exhibited rapid GS release: ~60% in 24h and >80% in 2 days.
  • MBG/PLGA composite microspheres showed an initial release of ~33% in 1 day and ~48% in 2 days.
  • Composite microspheres demonstrated sustained GS release for over 4 weeks in PBS.

Conclusions:

  • MBG/PLGA composite microspheres provide sustained antibiotic release, unlike pure MBG.
  • These composites are potential candidates for bone void fillers, offering combined antibiotic delivery and osteoconductive properties.
  • The sustained release profile is advantageous for preventing bone infections and promoting bone healing.

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