Characterization of self-organized TiO2 nanotubes on Ti-4Zr-22Nb-2Sn alloys and the application in drug delivery system

Applications of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to pharmaceutical preparations

Introduction: Various pharmaceutical preparations are widely used for clinical treatment. Elucidation of the mechanisms of drug release and evaluation of drug efficacy in biological samples are important in drug design and drug quality control.Areas covered: This review classifies recent applications of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the field of medicine to comprehend drug release and diffusion. Drug release is affected by many factors of preparations, such as drug delivery system and microstructure polymorphism. The applications of FTIR imaging and nano-FTIR technique in biological samples lay a foundation for studying drug mechanism in vivo.Expert opinion: FTIR spectroscopy meets the research needs on preparations to understand the processes and mechanisms underlying drug release. The combination of attenuated total reflectance-FTIR imaging and nano-FTIR accompanied by chemometrics is a potent tool to overcome the deficiency of conventional infrared detection. FTIR shows an enormous potential in drug characterization, drug quality control, and bio-sample detection.

Engineered titanium implants for localized drug delivery: recent advances and perspectives of Titania nanotubes arrays

INTRODUCTION

Therapeutics delivery to bones to treat skeletal diseases or prevent postsurgical infections is challenging due to complex and solid bone structure that limits blood supply and diffusion of therapeutics administered by systemic routes to reach effective concentration. Titanium (Ti) and their alloys are employed as mainstream implant materials in orthopedics and dentistry; having superior mechanical/biocompatibility properties which could provide an alternative solution to address this problem.

AREAS COVERED

This review presents an overview of recent development of Ti drug-releasing implants, with emphasis on nanoengineered Titania nanotubes (TNTs) structures, for solving key problems to improve implants osseointegration, overcome inflammation and infection together with providing localized drug delivery (LDD) for bone diseases including cancer. Critical analysis of the advantages/disadvantages of developed concepts is discussed, their drug loading/releasing performances and specific applications.

EXPERT OPINION

LDD to bones can address many disorders and postsurgical conditions such as inflammation, implants rejection and infection. To this end, TNTs-Ti implants represent a potential promise for the development of new generation of multifunctional implants with drug release functions. Even this concept is extensively explored recently, there is a strong need for more preclinical studies using animal models to confirm the long-term safety and stability of TNTs-Ti implants for real-life medical applications.

Minocycline hydrochloride loaded on titanium by graphene oxide: an excellent antibacterial platform with the synergistic effect of contact-killing and release-killing

Graphene oxide loaded with minocycline hydrochloride as an excellent antibacterial platform with the synergistic effect of contact-killing and release-killing.

The Incorporation of Strontium in a Sodium Alginate Coating on Titanium Surfaces for Improved Biological Properties

Orthopedic implant failure is mainly attributed to the poor bonding of the implant to bone tissue. An effective approach to minimize the implant failure would be modifying the surface of the implant. Strontium (Sr) can stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and reduce the activity of osteoclasts. In this study, a titanium (Ti) surface was successively functionalized by covalently grafting dopamine, sodium alginate (SA), and Sr²⁺ via the electrostatic immobilization method. The as-prepared coatings on the Ti surface were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and contact angle. The results indicated that the Sr-incorporated coatings were successfully prepared and that Sr distributed uniformly on the surface. A long-lasting and sustained Sr release had been observed in Sr²⁺ release studies. The Ti/DOPA/SA/Sr exhibited little cytotoxicity and a robust effect of Sr incorporation on the adhesion and spreading of MG63 cells. The proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MG63 cells were enhanced by immobilizing Sr²⁺ on the SA-grafted Ti. The Sr-containing coatings, which displayed excellent biocompatibility and osteogenic activity, may provide a promising solution for promoting the tissue integration of implants.

Mussel-inspired surface modification of titania nanotubes as a novel drug delivery system

Titania nanotubes (TNT_s) have attracted considerable attention for the development of new devices for local drug delivery applications. In this study TNT_s were synthesized by hydrothermal method from titania nanoparticles and then the surface of TNT_s were functionalized by in situ polymerization of bioinspired polydopamine (PDA). The proposed strategies emphasized on remarkable properties of these materials and their unique combination to design local drug delivery system with advanced performance. The samples were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and surface area analysis (BET). The results showed that the specific surface area significantly is increased by creating tubular nanostructure. TGA results indicated Surface functionalization of TNT_s with PDA (TNT_s-PDA) about 19.3% that led to increase biocompatibility and bioactivity of TNT_s as well as improve drug loading and release properties. It is attributed to the effect of NH₂ groups which immobilize drug molecules on the TNT_s. According to the obtained release profiles for the samples, the release profiles followed from a Hill model. Thus, PDA modified TNT_s can be excellent candidate as specific drug delivery systems.

Dental implants modified with drug releasing titania nanotubes: therapeutic potential and developmental challenges

INTRODUCTION

The transmucosal nature of dental implants presents a unique therapeutic challenge, requiring not only rapid establishment and subsequent maintenance of osseointegration, but also the formation of resilient soft tissue integration. Key challenges in achieving long-term success are sub-optimal bone integration in compromised bone conditions and impaired trans-mucosal tissue integration in the presence of a persistent oral microbial biofilm. These challenges can be targeted by employing a drug-releasing implant modification such as TiO₂ nanotubes (TNTs), engineered on titanium surfaces via electrochemical anodization. Areas covered: This review focuses on applications of TNT-based dental implants towards achieving optimal therapeutic efficacy. Firstly, the functions of TNT implants will be explored in terms of their influence on osseointegration, soft tissue integration and immunomodulation. Secondly, the developmental challenges associated with such implants are reviewed including sterilization, stability and toxicity. Expert opinion: The potential of TNTs is yet to be fully explored in the context of the complex oral environment, including appropriate modulation of alveolar bone healing, immune-inflammatory processes, and soft tissue responses. Besides long-term in vivo assessment under masticatory loading conditions, investigating drug-release profiles in vivo and addressing various technical challenges are required to bridge the gap between research and clinical dentistry.