Improved Biocompatibility of TiO2 Nanotubes via Co-Precipitation Loading with Hydroxyapatite and Gentamicin

Abstract

The antibacterial properties of titanium make it useful for clinical applications. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is widely utilized as a coating on orthopedic implants to improve osteointegration. Titanium oxide nanotubes (TNT) are recognized as a promising solution for local antibiotic therapy in bone implants. It is demonstrated that the utilization of HA-coated titanium can improve the biocompatibility of bone implants. This research aims to examine the antibacterial properties and biocompatibility of the TiO2 nanotubes by loading HA and gentamicin. In vitro testing, the characterization of drug release, cell adhesion and proliferation, bacteria culture, and antibacterial tests were conducted. During the in vivo experiments, Staphylococcus aureus was implanted into the femur of rats. The animals were sacrificed at four weeks followed by microbiological and clinical assessments on the bone, which were conducted by removing the implants followed by agar plating. The in vitro cell incubation demonstrated that the TiO2 nanotubes loaded with hydroxyapatite and gentamicin had better cellular compatibility compared to Cp–Ti. In addition, in vitro elution testing showed that gentamicin was released from the hydroxyapatite/TiO2 nanotubes for as long as 22 days. The release time was much longer than the TNT loaded with gentamicin at only 6 h. All animals in the gentamicin/HA/TNT group were free of infection compared to those in the Cp–Ti, TNT, and HA/gentamicin/TNT groups. There was a considerable reduction in the rates of infection among the rats with gentamicin-HA-TNT coatings compared to standard titanium. These results indicated that the co-precipitation of gentamicin and HA loading using the TNT method provided a novel prophylactic method against prosthetic infections and other biomedical applications.

Y-Branched Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes as a Potential Antimicrobial Coating for Implants

“…Various novel nanomaterials and drug carriers, including polymer micelles, liposomes, multifunctional dendritic polymers, nanocapsules, nanospheres, and TiO 2 nanostructures have been created as a result of advancements in nanotechnology [5,6]. TiO 2 nanotubes (NT) have drawn a lot of attention in recent years as a potential material to enhance osseointegration and as a potential medication delivery method [7]. The clinical therapeutic effect of medical implants can be enhanced by titanium nanotubes arrays produced on Ti surface by an easy electrochemical anodizing technique [5].…”

“…Additionally, there is a general agreement that systemic antibiotics are overused in dental care. Research into local drug administration methods has shown demonstrable efficacy in reducing infection rates [7,22]. The interaction between antimicrobial coatings and bacteria is a topic of extensive research, especially for developing antibacterial surfaces and materials to reduce the risk of infections [1].…”

Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Titanium Nanotubes Coated with Chitosan: A Promising Formulation with Sustained Release and Enhanced Antibacterial Properties

“…In another study, bacterial adhesion and proliferation were strongly inhibited both in vitro and in vivo by TiO 2 -NTs loaded with hyaluronic acid and gentamicin. At the same time, the osseointegration features of the nanostructured surface were well maintained without any negative impact [ 24 ].…”

Gold Nanoparticles Decorated Titanium Oxide Nanotubes with Enhanced Antibacterial Activity Driven by Photocatalytic Memory Effect

“…Titanium (Ti) and its alloys have been widely used for biomedical devices because of their outstanding mechanical properties [1] and excellent biocompatibility [2][3][4]. However, Ti-based implants lack bactericidal activities and are susceptible to bacterial infection [4,5]. Researchers have come up with numerous strategies to conquer bacterial infections.…”