Fabrication, Characterization and Drug Release of Ciprofloxacin Loaded Porous Polyvinyl Alcohol/Bioactive Glass Scaffold for Controlled DrugDelivery

Composite scaffolds of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) and/or quaternary bioactive glass (46S6 system) containing 5, 10 and 20 wt % ciprofloxacin were prepared by lyophilisation technique. The porosity of the prepared scaffolds was measured by liquid displacement, Hg-porosimeter and SEM. The structure and the nature of chemical bonds between atoms were examined by XRD and FTIR. They confirmed the incorporation of ciprofloxacin into the scaffolds. Biodegradation rate and drug release behaviour were conducted in Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) at pH 7.4. A porous scaffold has been obtained with porosity up to 85%. By increasing the glass contents and drug concentration in the prepared scaffold the porosity and the degradation rate decrease however, the compressive strength was enhanced. A sustained drug release pattern was observed from the optimized scaffold with a quasi-Fickian diffusion mechanism and it was able to deliver the drug in a prolonged release pattern which offers a distinguish treatment for osteomylitis as well as local antibacterial effect.