Synthesis, characterization and formulation of sodium calcium silicate bioceramic for drug delivery applications

Sodium calcium silicate (Na2CaSiO4) is a bioactive silicate with Na2O, CaO and SiO2 as its basic components, which is similar to that of the composition of bioactive glasses. In the present study, pure sodium calcium silicate was synthesized by rapid combustion technique, and the synthesized sample was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction to check the phase purity. The scaffolds were prepared by varying the ratio of sodium calcium silicate and polyvinyl alcohol, and the apatite-formation ability of the scaffolds was examined by soaking them in a simulated body fluid. The results revealed the formation of hydroxyapatite on the surface of the scaffold after 5 days, which is found to be rapid when compared with the bioactivity of the calcium silicates and calcium magnesium silicates. The scaffolds were also loaded with ciprofloxacin as a model drug and analyzed for its drug release profile using UV spectrophotometer. The release profile did not vary with the change in bioceramic-to-biopolymer ratio, and 60% of the drug was released in 10 days, which is within the appreciable range for a targeted drug delivery system. Moreover, the experimental and simulated values of the release kinetics were compared by applying the existing mathematical model.