Formulation and Characterization of Ciprofloxacin loaded PLGA Microspheres for Applications in Orthopedic Infections

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Osteomyelitis is a bone infection often complicating fractures or orthopedic surgery.
• Ciprofloxacin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
• Local drug delivery systems offer targeted treatment for bone infections, potentially improving efficacy and reducing systemic side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To encapsulate ciprofloxacin within poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres for local drug delivery.
• To compare the encapsulation efficiency of different solvent evaporation methods for PLGA microspheres.

Main Methods:

• Microspheres were prepared using two solvent evaporation techniques: water/oil/water (w/o/w) and solid/oil/water (s/o/w).
• Microsphere characterization included Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
• Encapsulation efficiency was quantified using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Main Results:

• Both solvent evaporation methods yielded microspheres with good entrapment efficiency for ciprofloxacin.
• The solid/oil/water (s/o/w) dispersion method demonstrated superior encapsulation efficiency compared to the w/o/w method.
• FTIR analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of ciprofloxacin into the PLGA matrix.

Conclusions:

• The s/o/w technique is a promising method for developing ciprofloxacin-loaded PLGA microspheres.
• Further investigation of particles produced via the s/o/w method is warranted for creating effective local drug delivery systems for osteomyelitis treatment.