Synthesis, coating, and drug-release of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles loaded with antibiotics

Post-surgery infections are considered the most challenging complication in the orthopedic and dental field. The local release of antibiotics is evidently highly efficient in delivering the drug to the vicinity of the infected area without the risk of systemic toxicity. Bioactive materials, such as hydroxyapatite (HAp) among other calcium phosphates, are reputed as superior antibiotic vehicles, and combine drug-delivery properties and enhanced osteoconductivity. Here, we report on the single-step electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of drug-loaded HAp nanoparticles (NPs) on titanium implants. This approach provides a purely bioactive coating with drug delivery properties in a simple, economic, and fast process. We synthesized pure HAp NPs with 12.5% and 12.8% loading weight percentages of gentamicin sulfate (Gs) and ciprofloxacin (Cip), and electrophoretically deposited them on a titanium substrate. Furthermore, we co-deposited Gs-HAp and Cip-HAp in one-step to yield a drug-loaded system consisting of two types of antibiotics. The drug-loaded NPs as well as the coatings were carefully characterized. The release profiles of the Gs-HAp and Cip-HAp NP coatings showed prolonged release of up to 10 and 25 days, respectively. The bioactivity test revealed superior bioactivity with enhanced precipitation of HAp crystals along with inorganic minerals, such as Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and Cl^-. The antibacterial in vitro tests of the Cip and Gs-HAp coatings showed efficient inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.