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

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 beta-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (beta-TCP) disks. The obtained Ica-loaded porous beta-TCP ceramic (Ica/beta-TCP) disks were characterized by SEM. The SEM photos indicated that the disks had porous structure and the surface morphology of the porous beta-TCP ceramic (beta-PTCP) disks had no obvious difference from the Ica/beta-TCP disks. The Ica release curve of Ica/beta-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/beta-TCP disks hardly affected the attachment and morphology of Ros17/28 cells, however, the Ica/beta-TCP disks were favorable to supporting the proliferation and differentiation of Ros17/28 cells better compared with the beta-PTCP disks. There was plenty of bone-like apatite formed on the surface of Ica/beta-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 beta-PTCP disks, but new bone formation was observed in Ica/beta-TCP disks. Fibrous tissues and slight inflammatory reaction was also found in the Ica/beta-TCP disks and beta-TCP disks. Therefore, the loading Ica did not change the biocompatibility of beta-TCP ceramic, but enhanced the bioactivity of beta-TCP ceramic in vivo. The Ica/beta-TCP ceramic had potential to be used for bone defect repair.