Functionally gradient chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for controlled drug release

✍ Scribed by Shu-Hua Teng; Eun-Jung Lee; Peng Wang; Shin-Hee Jun; Cheol-Min Han; Hyoun-Ee Kim

• Book ID: 102874035
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 702 KB
• Volume: 90B
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1552-4973
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.31283

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This study explored the potential of chitosan/hydroxyapatite (HA) composites to act as a controlled drug delivery system by developing functional scaffolds with a gradient of structure and drug concentration. Firstly, a porous composite scaffold was prepared and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) was impregnated in the scaffold as a model drug. The pore size of the scaffold was negatively dependent on the HA content and ranged about 40–250 μm. Subsequently, a porous chitosan/HA composite layer without drug was coated on the scaffold to create a gradient drug concentration in the specimen. The in vitro drug‐release test demonstrated that the porous layer without drug on the outer surface of the scaffold significantly reduced the initial burst of drug release and extended the release period. Finally, a successive and dense chitosan/HA composite layer endowed the scaffold with a sustained, drug‐release pattern without any initial drug burst. These findings confirmed the high effectiveness of the hybrid scaffolds in regulating the release of drugs, and hence their capability to serve as a temporary drug carrier in tissue regeneration. These functional scaffolds also have potential application to the delivery of some bioactive molecules such as growth factors. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009