Bioactive glass as a drug delivery system of tetracycline and tetracycline associated with beta-cyclodextrin

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical-chemical properties, in vivo biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of bioactive glasses (BG) used as a controlled release device for tetracycline hydrochloride and an inclusion complex formed by tetracycline and beta-cyclodextrin at 1:1 molar ratio. The BG as well as their compounds loaded with tetracycline (BT) and tetracycline:beta-cyclodextrin (BTC) were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The in vivo test was carried out with female mice split into three groups treated with bioactive glass either without drugs, or associated with tetracycline, or with tetracycline:beta-cyclodextrin by subcutaneous implantation. The histological examination of tissue at the site of implantation showed moderate inflammatory reactions in ail groups after 72 h. The bacterial effect was tested on A. actinomycetemcomitans suspended in BHI broth, with or without bioactive particles. A considerable bacteriostatic activity was found with BT and BTC glasses, as compared to plain glass. The presence of cyclodextrin was important to slow down the release of tetracycline for a long period of time and it was verified that the presence of tetracycline or its inclusion complex, tetracycline:beta-cyclodextrin, did not affect the bioactivity of the glass. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.