Ag-substituted octacalcium phosphate blocks that exhibit high osteoconductivity and high antibacterial activity toward various pathogens.

Sugiura Y, Ono F, Nohara M, Horino R, Kutara K, Kanda T, Oowada K, Horie M, Makita Y.

In this study, Ag-substituted octacalcium phosphate (OCP) blocks exhibiting contact antibacterial ability were fabricated from precursor dicalcium dihydrate anhydrate blocks via immersion in both Ag+- and Na+-containing ammonium phosphate weak basic buffer solutions. The diametral tensile strength (DTS) value of the Ag-substituted blocks was ~2.5 MPa, which is sufficient for them to be used as a bone substitute material. Although the Ag contents of the Ag-substituted OCP blocks (0.17 ± 0.01 at%) were much lower than those of Ag-substituted OCP powders (1.72 ± 0.18 at%) prepared using Ag solutions with the same Ag concentration (20 mmol/L), the Ag-substituted OCP blocks exhibited excellent contact antibacterial activities toward various pathogens. In vivo implanting in bone defects evaluations indicated that the biocompatibility of the Ag-substituted OCP blocks was excellent and similar to that of the OCP blocks without Ag.

Materials Today Communications

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