Poly(methyl methacrylate)-gelatin porous polymeric scaffolds for controlled drug delivery

Drug delivery has concerned attention, due to its application with the regeneration of healthy tissues for bone repair and wound healing. Since, it is desirable to develop new and highly porous polymeric scaffolds required to the tissue regeneration and local antibiotic drug delivery. A new therapeutic system based on antibiotic drug ceftriaxone (CFX) loaded PMMA-Gelatin Polymeric Scaffolds (CFX-PGPSs) was prepared, which combines the merits of tissue regeneration and antibiotic drug delivery. The prepared CFX-PGPSs well characterized by different physico-chemical techniques. The morphological studies result clearly indicated the microporous (1–20 µm) surface of the CFX-PGPSs. Our results clearly show that, the blending of PMMA can alter the swelling as well as drug release profile of CFX-PGPSs. In vitro drug release study was carried out on the CFX-PGPSs at physiological condition (pH 7.4, PBS), observed initial burst release followed by controlled release of CFX from CFX-PGPSs. In addition, CFX-PGPS-3 showed extended drug release efficiency (83.55%) than other scaffolds proves the effect of PMMA blending on CFX-PGPSs. Further, CFX-PGPSs displayed comparatively better antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli than Staphylococcus aureus. Hence, these CFX-PGPSs might be utilized as a new tissue implant as well as local antibiotic drug delivery system.