A β-Cyclodextrin-Eugenol Complex as a Modifier of Methacrylate Bone Cement.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Antibiotics in bone cement can lead to resistance; eugenol offers antimicrobial potential.
• Eugenol's polymerization retardation necessitates modification for effective use in bone cement.
• Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (Captisol) was explored as a complexing agent for eugenol.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a β-cyclodextrin/eugenol complex (CP-EU) on methacrylic bone cement properties.
• To assess the mechanical strength, polymerization characteristics, and antibacterial efficacy of modified bone cement.
• To evaluate the biocompatibility and osteoblast viability in the presence of the CP-EU complex.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of methacrylic bone cement incorporating the CP-EU complex.
• Evaluation of polymerization parameters (doughing time, Tmax, Tset, tset).
• Assessment of mechanical properties (compressive strength, Young's modulus), eugenol release kinetics, antibacterial activity against E. coli, and cytotoxicity on osteoblasts.

Main Results:

• The CP-EU complex (0.5 wt%) eliminated eugenol's negative effect on polymerization, maintaining clinically acceptable temperatures (58.7°C-69.8°C) and meeting ISO 5833:2002 standards.
• Significant enhancement in mechanical properties observed: compressive strength increased by up to 33.5%, and Young's modulus by up to 454.1%.
• High eugenol release (84.5%-86.9%) and potent antibacterial activity against E. coli demonstrated. Complexation with Captisol restored biocompatibility, improving osteoblast viability compared to free eugenol.

Conclusions:

• The CP-EU complex effectively modifies bone cement, enhancing mechanical performance and providing desirable antimicrobial properties.
• Captisol complexation successfully modulates eugenol release and improves biocompatibility, addressing cytotoxicity concerns of free eugenol.
• Modified bone cements meet standard requirements, exhibiting good mechanical properties, high eugenol release, and antibacterial efficacy, positioning CP-EU as a promising alternative to antibiotic-loaded cements.