Drug loaded poly(glycerol sebacate) as a local drug delivery system for the treatment of periodontal disease

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a widely distributed disease worldwide. It affects life quality and causes many health problems. The cause of periodontal disease is bacterial infection. The key to treating periodontal disease is killing bacteria and thus using a local antibiotic agent is a good way of treating periodontal disease. In our work, we loaded berberine and chlorhexidine into biodegradable elastomer poly(glycerol-sebacate) (PGS) using a swell drug loading method. Drug(s) showed sustained release properties in vitro. Mechanical testing showed that neither drug loading method nor loaded drug(s) changed the Young's modulus and maximum strain of PGS. Loaded drugs changed the surface wettability and cell compatibility. The general antimicrobial test showed that chlorhexidine loaded PGS groups were good against typical Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Berberine loaded PGS groups showed good antibacterial ability against periodontal disease pathogens. These results indicate that our drug loaded PGS can be used in the treatment of periodontal disease.