Preparation and characterization of composite materials for medical applications

Abstract

A biomaterial is defined as a substance that has been engineered to take a form which, alone or as part of a complex system, is used to direct, by control of interactions with components of living systems, the course of any therapeutic or diagnostic procedure. Biomaterials can be used for a wide variety of medical applications. Hydroxyapatite, HAp, was synthesized and submitted to some studies to check if it is a pure biomaterial and if can be used in drug delivery systems. The determination of the calcium content in Ca(OH)2 consists in dissolving the sample in nitric acid, precipitating the phosphates and then determining the calcium content by the complexometric titration of disodium edetate (EDTA) in the presence of a mixture of calcein and thymolphelin. The determination of the phosphorus in the samples was achieved by means of differential photometric procedure. The crystal phase and molecular structure of the samples were characterized by XRD and FTIR. A drug delivery system is defined as a formulation or a device that enables the introduction of a therapeutic substance in the body and improves its efficacy and safety by controlling the rate, time and place of release of drugs in the body. Clindamycin was used as a drug to check if hydroxyapatite can be used as a drug carrier. Spectrophotometric method (UV-VIS) was used for the determination of Clindamycin hydrochloride. Hydroxyapatite and clindamycin were submitted to infusion and effusion studies with body fluids to check the possibility of release drug in simulate body fluids or incorporation of the drug to the biomaterial from the fluid, which affirms if it can be an application in drug delivery system.