In situ preparation of hydroxyapatite in lamellar liquid crystals for joint lubrication and drug delivery

Abstract

Arthritis is a disease that seriously affects the quality of human life, which is partly caused by the reduction of joint lubrication performance. Thus, for the treatment of arthritis, how to improve the lubrication performance of joints is important. The lamellar liquid crystals (LLCs) systems have the potential to be used as joint lubrication due to their double-layer structure and good biocompatibility, however, the LLCs system alone could not provide a satisfactory lubrication effect. Herein, this work synthesized hydroxyapatite (HAP) in situ inside Tween 85/Tween 80/H₂O LLCs to construct a biocompatible HAP/Tween 85/Tween 80/H₂O LLCs (HAP/LLCs) lubrication system with both sustained drug release properties and anti-wear properties. HAP is the main component of bone with good stability and bioactivity. The LLCs have good lubricating and drug-carrying properties. The impact of HAP on the structure and lubrication properties of LLCs, the mechanism of friction, and the anti-wear reduction of HAP/LLCs were investigated. Moreover, the drug release behavior of the ibuprofen-loaded HAP/LLCs during the friction process was also studied. The results indicated that the addition of HAP could improve the lubricity performance of LLCs. The cumulative drug releasing increased with the friction frequency and was less affected by the load. The related studies provided the theoretical basis for HAP/LLCs for joint lubrication and synergistic therapy.