Development of novel electrospun dual-drug fiber mats loaded with a combination of ampicillin and metronidazole.
Our study was performed with the aim of preparing electrospun polylactide fibers with a combination of ampicillin (AMP) and metronidazole (MNZ) and investigating their drug release behavior and the antibacterial effect on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and other oral pathogens.



AMP and MNZ were integrated as a combination in two separate fibers (dual fiber mats - DFW mix) of electrospun PLA fiber mats by means of multijet electrospinning and in a single fiber (single fiber mats - SFW mix). HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) was used to measure the released drug quantities. Agar diffusion tests were used to determine the antibacterial effect of the eluates on A. actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Enterococcus faecalis. The neutral red test was made to examine the cytocompatibility of the eluates with human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs).



The release of the active agents varied with the antibiotic concentrations initially used in the fiber mats, but also with the distribution of the active agents in one or two fibers. Of the total quantity of MNZ (AMP), the SFW mix fiber mats released >60% (>70%) within a span of 5min, and 76% (71%) after 96h. With these drug concentrations released by the fiber mats (≥5m%), an antibacterial effect was achieved on A. actinomycetemcomitans and on all other species tested. Fiber mats and their eluates have no cytotoxic influence on human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs).



Electrospun AMP/MNZ-loaded polymer fibers are a potential drug delivery system for use in periodontal and endodontic infections.
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Jena University Hospital, An der Alten Post 4, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Dennis
D
Schkarpetkin
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Jena University Hospital, An der Alten Post 4, 07743 Jena, Germany. Electronic address: markusreise@gmail.com.
Markus
M
Reise
Department of Biomaterials, INNOVENT e.V., Prüssingstrasse 27B, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Ralf
R
Wyrwa
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Jena University Hospital, An der Alten Post 4, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Andrea
A
Völpel
Department of Biomaterials, INNOVENT e.V., Prüssingstrasse 27B, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Albrecht
A
Berg
Department of Biomaterials, INNOVENT e.V., Prüssingstrasse 27B, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Martina
M
Schweder
Department of Biomaterials, INNOVENT e.V., Prüssingstrasse 27B, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Matthias
M
Schnabelrauch
University of Manchester, School of Dentistry and Photon Science Institute, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
David C
DC
Watts
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Jena University Hospital, An der Alten Post 4, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Bernd W
BW
Sigusch
D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; D000667:Ampicillin; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole; D009055:Mouth
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D000667:Ampicillin
A. actinomycetemcomitans; Antibacterial agents; Dual drug delivery; Multijet electrospinning, periodontitis