Dr. Kerstin Wagner (Jena, DE), Dr. Svea Sachse (Jena, DE), Dr. Hanen Ferjani (Jena, DE), Stefan Pape (Jena, DE), Dr. André Güllmar (Jena, DE), Prof. Dr. Dr. Bernd W. Sigusch (Jena, DE), Dr. Torsten Walter (Jena, DE)
Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)
Introduction
Like almost all markets in the healthcare, the market for drug delivery systems (DDS) is also benefiting from the fact that humanity is growing constantly and is also becoming older. The fields of application for DDS made of electrospun nonwoven materials are primarily in the field of wound dressings containing active substances for the treatment of microbial infections. The treatment of such infections with local DDS plays an important role, especially in the oral, maxillofacial and bone area.
Objectives
Our aim was to achieve DDS for local periodontitis treatment based on electrospun fusidic acid (FSN)-loaded resorbable polyester fibers.
Material & methods
The electrospun fibers were based on biodegradable RESOMER® polymers (polylactide, polydioxanone, polycaprolactone) from Evonik. They were loaded with 10-20 % (w/w) FSN and characterized in terms of fiber diameter/morphology (light microscopy/SEM), stability/elasticity (tensile test), degradation behavior, cytocompatibility (live/dead assay and XTT test) as well as drug release profile (UV/VIS spectroscopy). Antibacterial activity was tested using an agar diffusion test on the following bacterial species: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus sobrinus.
Results
The observed release behavior varied widely depending on the polymer used. The polylactide-based electrospun fiber fleece loaded with FSN showed continuous release for at least 28 days. Within this period, corresponding inhibition zones (agar diffusion test) were formed in Porphyromonas gingivalis and Staphylococcus aureus. The growth of Staphylococcus aureus was completely inhibited.
Conclusion
This study shows that FSN-loaded electrospun fiber nonwoven materials represent an interesting class of resorbable drug delivery systems. Sustained drug release properties and cytocompatibility suggest their potential clinical applicability for the treatment of periodontal diseases.