The effect of loading icariin on biocompatibility and bioactivity of porous β-TCP ceramic

• DOI: 10.1007/s10856-010-4198-y
• Publication Date: 2010-12-07T11:49:08Z
• Authors: X. Zhang; Y. Guo; D. X. Li; R. Wang; H. S. Fan; Y. M. Xiao; L. Zhang; X. D. Zhang
• Keywords: Calcium Phosphates; Flavonoids; 0301 basic medicine; Ceramics; Osteoblasts; Time Factors; Tissue Engineering; Surface Properties; Biocompatible Materials; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Animals; Porosity; Cell Proliferation

In order to enhance the ability of calcium phosphate-based biomaterials for bone defect repair, icariin (Ica), one natural product with ability of promoting osteoblasts differentiation in vitro and enhancing bone formation in vivo, was loaded into porous β-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (β-TCP) disks. The obtained Ica-loaded porous β-TCP ceramic (Ica/β-TCP) disks were characterized by SEM. The SEM photos indicated that the disks had porous structure and the surface morphology of the porous β-TCP ceramic (β-PTCP) disks had no obvious difference from the Ica/β-TCP disks. The Ica release curve of Ica/β-TCP disks showed a burst release during the first 1 day and the concentration of released Ica during the first 3 days had low cytotoxicity. The loading Ica in Ica/β-TCP disks hardly affected the attachment and morphology of Ros17/28 cells, however, the Ica/β-TCP disks were favorable to supporting the proliferation and differentiation of Ros17/28 cells better compared with the β-PTCP disks. There was plenty of bone-like apatite formed on the surface of Ica/β-TCP disks soaked in SBF solution for three days. After back intramuscular implantation of rats for three months, no obvious osteogenic evidence was detected in β-PTCP disks, but new bone formation was observed in Ica/β-TCP disks. Fibrous tissues and slight inflammatory reaction was also found in the Ica/β-TCP disks and β-TCP disks. Therefore, the loading Ica did not change the biocompatibility of β-TCP ceramic, but enhanced the bioactivity of β-TCP ceramic in vivo. The Ica/β-TCP ceramic had potential to be used for bone defect repair.