C. Wittwer et al., THE RELEASE OF SERUM-PROTEINS AND DYE FROM GLASS-IONOMER (POLYALKENOATE) AND ACRYLIC CEMENTS - A PILOT-STUDY, Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine, 5(9-10), 1994, pp. 711-714
Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are composite materials with the potentia
l for use as improved bone substitutes and cements. The hydrophilic na
ture of the GIC matrix may confer the ability to release therapeutic a
gents after surgical implantation which would aid the development of G
ICs for wider biomedical application. Acrylic and GIC were loaded (5%
w/w> with either a model dye or high molecular weight proteins and elu
ted in vitro over 84 days to study simulated drug release. Serum prote
ins were also adsorbed on to the surface of acrylic and two different
GICs and desorption measured over six days. GIC was a suitable matrix
for simple dye and protein release, protein release being greater from
the GIC than from the acrylic cement. Selective desorption from the t
wo different GICs studied was noted indicating GICs may be formulated
to release specific drugs or proteins.