Porous Chitosan/Hydroxyapatite Composite Microspheres for Vancomycin Loading and Releasing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Chitosan and hydroxyapatite composites offer promising properties for drug delivery.
• Controlling synthesis parameters is crucial for optimizing composite microsphere characteristics.
• Antibiotic delivery systems require efficient loading and sustained release for efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare porous chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite microspheres via a hydrothermal method.
• To investigate the effect of synthesis temperature on microsphere morphology and properties.
• To evaluate the vancomycin loading, release kinetics, and antibacterial activity of the composite microspheres.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of chitosan/hydroxyapatite microspheres at varying temperatures.
• Characterization of microsphere structure, porosity, and surface area.
• Vancomycin loading and in vitro release studies.
• Assessment of antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Results:

• Temperature significantly influenced microsphere appearance and particle size.
• Microspheres synthesized at 75 °C exhibited porous structures (36.66 m²/g surface area, 0.58 cm³/g pore volume).
• Vancomycin entrapment efficiency was 20%, with release exceeding 20 days.
• VCM/composite microspheres demonstrated sustained bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Conclusions:

• Hydrothermal method is effective for preparing tunable chitosan/hydroxyapatite microspheres.
• Optimized microspheres show potential as carriers for sustained antibiotic delivery.
• The composite microspheres maintain vancomycin stability and efficacy for antibacterial applications.