Effect of ciprofloxacin incorporation in PVA and PVA bioactive glass composite scaffolds

Scaffolds are implants used to deliver cells, drugs, and genes into the body in a local controlled release pattern which offers many advantages over systematic drug delivery. Composite scaffolds of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and quaternary bioactive glass (46S6 system) with different ratios of glass contents were prepared by the lyophilisation technique. The broad spectrum antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cip) was impregnated to the scaffold during the fabrication in a concentration of 5, 10 and 20%. Biodegradation rate and in-vitro mineralization of the prepared scaffolds were performed by soaking the scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF). Phase identification, microstructure, porosity, bioactivity, mechanical properties and drug release pattern in PBS were characterized by XRD, SEM coupled with EDS, Hg-porosimeter, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), universal testing machine, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-spectrophotometer, respectively. A porous scaffold has been obtained with porosity up to 85%. By increasing the glass contents in the prepared scaffold the porosity and the degradation rate decrease however, the compressive strength was enhanced. A sustained drug release pattern was observed with a quasi-Fickian diffusion mechanism. The formulated ciprofloxacin loaded porous polyvinyl alcohol scaffold gave an acceptable physicochemical properties and was able to deliver the drug in a prolonged release pattern which offers a distinguish treatment for osteomylitis as well as local antibacterial effect.