A novel drug delivery system for osteomyelitis using porous hydroxyapatite blocks loaded by centrifugation.

A novel drug delivery system for osteomyelitis was developed using porous hydroxyapatite blocks (HA-b) loaded with antibiotics by centrifugation. In the study, 10 mm3 HA-b was placed in a container and mixed with antibiotic solution; the antibiotic was then loaded into the pores of the HA-b by centrifuging at 1500 rpm for 15 min. Slow release of HA-b in both moist form and dried form (by heating at 160 degrees C) was tested after loading with the antibiotic arbekacin sulfate (ABK), 1-N-(S)-4 amino-2-hydroxybutyryl dibekacin. To estimate the concentration of antibiotic, both forms of HA-b were placed in 3 mL of phosphate buffered saline (PBS), which was replaced every 48 h. In both groups, which were loaded with 70 mg ABK per one block of HA (concn 0.5 microgram/mL) which is sufficiently high to control most pathogens, was maintained for 21 exchanges of PBS (after 42 days). Minimum inhibitory concentration for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 3.13 micrograms/mL, was maintained until nine exchanges took place (after 18 days). The centrifugation method is simple, and dried ABK produced by heating loaded HA-b is particularly useful in clinical applications for osteomyelitis.