Ibuprofen-Loaded CTS/nHA/nBG Scaffolds for the Applications of Hard Tissue Engineering

This study addressed the development of biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds with enhanced biomechanical characteristics. The biocompatibility and the cationic nature of chitosan (CTS) make it more effective as a bone grafting material.

The hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHA) were synthesized by hydrothermal method, and bioglass (nBG) (50% SiO2-45% CaO-5% P2O5) was synthesized using sol-gel method. The ibuprofen-loaded CTS/nHA and CTS/nBG scaffolds were fabricated by using freeze-drying method.

Transmission electron microscopy image of nHA and nBG revealed the particles of less than 200 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of CTS/nHA and CTS/nBG scaffolds showed pore sizes ranging from 84-190 µm. The physiochemical characteristics of synthesized ceramic nanoparticles and scaffolds analyzed by XRD were confirmed by ICDD 9-432. The porosity of scaffolds was measured by using SEM, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, and Archimedes’ principle. The open porosities of CTS/nBG and CTS/nHA samples were 29% and 31%, respectively. The compressive strength of scaffolds was evaluated by stress vs. strain curve. The CTS/nHA scaffold revealed 4% more water retention capacity than CTS/nBG scaffold. In the presence of lysozyme, CTS/nBG scaffold degraded 32.8%, while CTS/nHA degraded 26.1% in PBS solution at pH 7.4. The density of all scaffolds was found (1.9824 g/cm-3 and 1.9338 g/cm-3) to be nearly similar to that of the dry bone (0.8-1.2 g/cm-3). Fibroblast cells multiplied two times in the sample medium of CTS/nBG after 14 days. After 72 h, CTS/nBG and CTS/nHA scaffolds demonstrated 52% and 46% drug release, respectively.

Based on our findings, ibuprofen-loaded scaffolds could be an effective drug delivery system for tissue engineering applications.