Sustained release device containing metronidazole for periodontal use.

The purpose of this study was to develop a sustained release device containing metronidazole for insertion within periodontal pockets and to examine the release kinetics in vitro and in vivo. Cast films of ethyl cellulose with or without polyethylene glycol, containing metronidazole, were prepared and exhibited sustained release. Release rate of metronidazole from the film was measured by means of a UV spectrophotometer, and kinetics of release in vitro was found to conform to Higuchi's diffusional model. The microbiological results proved that embedding metronidazole in ethyl cellulose film does not inhibit the biological activity. The release kinetics in vivo correlated with in vitro results, exhibiting a sustained release of metronidazole over a period of three days from 30% metronidazole with polyethylene glycol or 40% metronidazole in ethyl cellulose chloroform cast. This study demonstrates that, by embedding metronidazole in ethyl cellulose, it is possible to obtain sustained release of the drug within the periodontal pocket for three days.