Eco-friendly calcium alginate microspheres enable enhanced profile control and oil displacement

Polymer microspheres(PMs),such as polyacrylamide,have been widely applied for enhanced oil recovery(EOR),yet with environmental concerns.Here,we report a microfluid displacement technology containing a bio-based eco-friendly material,i.e.,calcium alginate(CaAlg)microspheres for EOR.Two dominant mechanisms responsible for EOR over Ca Alg fluid have been verified,including the microscopic oil displacement efficacy augmented by regulating capillary force(determined by the joint action of interfacial tension and wettability between different phases)and macroscopic sweep volume increment through profile control and mobility ratio reduction.This comprehensive effectiveness can be further impacted when the CaAlg microsphere is embellished ulteriorly by using appropriate amount of sodium dodecyl sulfonate(SDS).The core flooding and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests demonstrate that CaAlg-SDS microsphere can balance the interphase property regulation(wettability alteration and IFT reduction)and rheology properties,enabling simultaneous profile control and oil displacement.Excessive introduction of SDS will have a negative impact on rheological properties,which is not favored for EOR.Our results show that the involvement of 4-m M SDS will provide the best behavior,with an EOR rate of 34.38%.This cost-effective and environmentally-friendly bio-microspherebased microfluidic displacement technology is expected to achieve“green”oil recovery in future oilfield exploitation.

Constructing a biofunctionalized 3D-printed gelatin/sodium alginate/chitosan tri-polymer complex scaffold with improvised biological andmechanical properties for bone-tissue engineering

Sodium alginate(SA)/chitosan(CH)polyelectrolyte scaffold is a suitable substrate for tissue-engineering application.The present study deals with further improvement in the tensile strength and biological properties of this type of scaffold to make it a potential template for bone-tissue regeneration.We experimented with adding 0%–15%(volume fraction)gelatin(GE),a protein-based biopolymer known to promote cell adhesion,proliferation,and differentiation.The resulting tri-polymer complex was used as bioink to fabricate SA/CH/GEmatrices by three-dimensional(3D)printing.Morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy revealed the microfibrous porous architecture of all the structures,which had a pore size range of 383–419μm.X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed the amorphous nature of the scaffold and the strong electrostatic interactions among the functional groups of the polymers,thereby forming polyelectrolyte complexes which were found to improve mechanical properties and structural stability.The scaffolds exhibited a desirable degradation rate,controlled swelling,and hydrophilic characteristics which are favorable for bone-tissue engineering.The tensile strength improved from(386±15)to(693±15)kPa due to the increased stiffness of SA/CH scaffolds upon addition of gelatin.The enhanced protein adsorption and in vitro bioactivity(forming an apatite layer)confirmed the ability of the SA/CH/GE scaffold to offer higher cellular adhesion and a bone-like environment to cells during the process of tissue regeneration.In vitro biological evaluation including the MTT assay,confocal microscopy analysis,and alizarin red S assay showed a significant increase in cell attachment,cell viability,and cell proliferation,which further improved biomineralization over the scaffold surface.In addition,SA/CH containing 15%gelatin designated as SA/CH/GE15 showed superior performance to the other fabricated 3D structures,demonstrating its potential for use in bone-tissue engineering.

Tissue Regeneration in Infected Wounds of Albino Rats Using Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Gelatin Microspheres Incorporated Collagen Scaffold: A Histological Approach with H&E Staining

A wound care system consisting of ciprofloxacin-loaded gelatin microspheres impregnated in a macroporous collagen scaffold was created to effectively control wound infection and regenerate soft tissue at the wound site.Histological and biochemical alterations were observed in infected wounds treated with these scaffolds in Albino Wistar rats.Furthermore,the study examined the immediate and prolonged release of ciprofloxacin from the scaffolds,as well as their function in eliminating bacterial infections and expediting the process of skin healing and regeneration.The developed technique was followed in the streamlined process of creating these collagen scaffolds.Compared to untreated wounds,the group receiving scaffold treatment experienced a faster rate of wound closure.It was noted that the rate of infections was considerably reduced and that full soft tissue regeneration occurred within 12 days.The development of well-deposited collagen bundles in the treated groups was demonstrated by H&E staining,which verified the flawless regeneration of the dermis and epidermis.The antimicrobial agent-loaded gelatin microspheres impregnated into the porous collagen scaffold demonstrated remarkable soft tissue regeneration and efficient infection control at the wound site.

Fabrication of alginate-based microspheres with cellular structure for tuning ammonium dinitramide performance

Recently,an emerging category green of energetic material ammonium dinitramide(ADN)has exhibited promising application in propellants due to its outstanding merits in energy release and environmental friendliness.It can be considered to substitute traditional oxidizer of ammonium perchlorate(AP)in military systems and aerospace.In this paper,a novel spherical energetic composite ADN/copper alginate(CA)with a microporous structure was designed and prepared by the W/O gel emulsion method,and a desirable porous microsphere structure was obtained.Multiple characterization techniques were used to investigate the structure and properties of ADN/CA composites.The results showed that ADN crystals were homogeneously encapsulated in an alginate-gel matrix.Thermal decomposition temperature was reduced to 151.7℃compared to ADN,while the activation energy of them was reduced from 129.73 k J/mol(ADN)to 107.50 k J/mol(ADN/CA-4).In addition,as-prepared samples had lower impact and frictional sensitivity than ADN.The mechanism of sensitivity reduction and decomposition are also discussed.Constant-volume combustion tests show that peak pressure of the ADN/CA-4 achieves 253.4 k Pa and pressurization rate of 2750.4 k Pa/s.Hence,this has a promising application in improving the combustion performance and safety performance of solid propellants.

Preparation of sodium alginate gel microspheres catalysts and its high catalytic performance for treatment of ciprofloxacin wastewater

The discharge of the antibiotic wastewater has increased dramatically in our country with the development of medical science and wide application of antibiotic,resulting in serious harm to human body and ecological environment.In this work,ciprofloxacin(CIP)was selected as one of typical antibiotics and heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts were prepared for the treatment of ciprofloxacin wastewater.The sodium alginate(SA)gel microspheres catalysts were prepared by polymerization method using double metal ions of Fe^(3+)and Mn^(2+)as cross-linking agents.Preparation conditions such as metal ions concentration,mass fraction of SA,polymerization temperature and dual-metal ions as crosslinking agent were optimized.Moreover,the effects of operating conditions such as initial concentration of CIP,pH value and catalyst dosage on CIP removal were studied.The kinetic equation showed that the effect of the initial concentration of CIP on the degradation rate was in line with second-order kinetics,and the effects of catalyst dosage and pH value on the degradation rate of CIP were in line with first-order kinetics.The SA gel microspheres catalysts prepared by dual-metal ions exhibited a high CIP removal and showed a good reusability after six recycles.The SA gel microspheres catalysts with an easy recovery performance provided an economical and efficient method for the removal of antibiotics in the future.

3D-printed engineered bacteria-laden gelatin/sodium alginate composite hydrogels for biological detection of ionizing radiation

Nuclear safety is a global growing concern,where ionizing radiation(IR)is a major injury factor resulting in serious damage to organisms.The detection of IR is usually conducted with physical dosimeters;however,biological IR detection methods are deficient.Here,a living composite hydrogel consisting of engineered bacteria and gelatin/sodium alginate was 3D-printed for the biological detection of IR.Three strains of PrecA::egfp gene circuit-containing engineered Escherichia coli were constructed with IR-dependent fluorescence,and the DH5αstrain was finally selected due to its highest radiation response and fluorescence.Engineered bacteria were loaded in a series of gelatin/sodium alginate matrix hydrogels with different rheology,3D printability and bacterial applicability.A high-gelatin-content hydrogel containing 10%gelatin/1.25%sodium alginatewas optimal.The optimal living composite hydrogelwas 3D-printedwith the special bioink,which reported significant green fluorescence underγ-ray radiation.The living composite hydrogel provides a biological strategy for the detection of environmental ionizing radiation.

Alginate/gelatin/boron-doped hydroxyapatite-coated Ti implants:in vitro and in vivo evaluation of osseointegration

In this study,boron-doped hydroxyapatite(BHT)-loaded alginate/gelatin-based(A/G)hydrogel coating on Ti was fabricated to support bone integration through triggering osteoinduction,vascularization and immunomodulation.Initially,highly reproducible,cheap and time-effective BHT was produced,which significantly promoted higher osteogenic and angiogenic maturation,while a mild innate immune response was observed.The immense potential of BHT was evidenced by the production of a gap-filling A/G/BHT interphase on Ti implants to mimic the osseous extracellular matrix to achieve functional bridging and exert control over the course of innate immune response.We initially aminosilanized the implant surface using 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane,and then coated it with 0.25%w/v alginate with 20 mM 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide to allowthe A/G/BHT pre-gel to disperse evenly and covalently attach on the surface.The pre-gel was added with 0.2 M NaCl to homogeneously blend BHT in the structure without inducing ionic crosslinking.Then,the coated implants were freeze-dried and stored.The coated layer demonstrated high cohesive and adhesive strength,and 8-month-long shelf-life at room temperature and normal humidity.The A/G/BHT was able to coat an irregularly shaped Ti implant.Osteoblasts and endothelial cells thrived on the A/G/BHT,and it demonstrated greatly improved osteogenic and angiogenic capacity.Moreover,A/G/BHT maintained macrophage viability and generated an acute increase in immune response that could be resolved rapidly.Finally,A/G/BHT was shown to induce the robust integration of implant in a rabbit femur osteochondral model within 2months.Therefore,we concluded that A/G/BHT coatings could serve as amultifunctional reservoir,promoting the strong and rapid osseointegration of metallic implants.

Comparison of ethanol-soaked gelatin sponge and microspheres for hepatic arterioportal fistulas embolization in hepatic cellular carcinoma

Hepatic arterioportal fistulas(APFs)are common in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Moreover,correlated with poor prognosis,APFs often complicate antitumor treatments,including transarterial chemoembolization(TACE).AIM To compare the efficacy of ethanol-soaked gelatin sponges(ESG)and microspheres in the management of APFs and their impact on the prognosis of HCC.METHODS Data from patients diagnosed with HCC or hepatic APFs between June 2016 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Furthermore,APFs were embolized with ESG(group E)or microspheres(group M)during TACE.The primary outcomes were disease control rate(DCR)and objective response rate(ORR).The secondary outcomes included immediate and first follow-up APF improvement,overall survival(OS),and progression-free survival(PFS).RESULTS Altogether,91 participants were enrolled in the study,comprising 46 in group E and 45 in group M.The DCR was 93.5%and 91.1%in groups E and M,respectively(P=0.714).The ORRs were 91.3%and 66.7%in groups E and M,respectively(P=0.004).The APFs improved immediately after the procedure in 43(93.5%)patients in group E and 40(88.9%)patients in group M(P=0.485).After 2 mo,APF improvement was achieved in 37(80.4%)and 33(73.3%)participants in groups E and M,respectively(P=0.421).The OS was 26.2±1.4 and 20.6±1.1 mo in groups E and M,respectively(P=0.004),whereas the PFS was 16.6±1.0 and 13.8±0.7 mo in groups E and M,respectively(P=0.012).CONCLUSION Compared with microspheres,ESG embolization demonstrated a higher ORR and longer OS and PFS in patients of HCC with hepatic APFs.

Preparation, Properties and Mechanism of Inhomogeneous Calcium Alginate Ion Cross-linking Gel Microspheres

Inhomogeneous calcium alginate ion cross\|linking gel microspheres, a novel ion absorbent, were prepared by dropping a sodium alginate solution to a calcium chloride solution via an electronic droplet generator. Calcium alginate microspheres have uniform particle sizes, a smooth surface and a microporous structure. The electrode probe reveals the inhomogeneous distribution of calcium ions with the highest concentration on the surface, and the lowest concentration in the cores of the spheres. As a novel ion adsorbent, calcium alginate gel microspheres have a lower limiting adsorption mass concentration, a higher enrichment capacity and a higher adsorption capacity for Pb 2+ than usual ion exchange resins. The highest percentage of the adsorption is 99 79%. The limiting adsorption mass concentration is 0 0426 mg/L. The adsorption capacity for Pb 2+ is 644 mg/g. Calcium alginate gel microspheres have a much faster ion exchange velocity than D418 chelating resin and D113 polyacrylate resin. The moving boundary model was employed to interpret the ion exchange kinetics process, which indicates that the ion exchange process is controlled by intraparticle diffusion of adsorbable ions. So the formation of inhomogeneous gel microspheres reduces the diffusion distance of adsorbable ions within the spheres and enhances the ion exchange velocity. Alginate has a higher selectivity for Pb 2+ than for Ca 2+ and the selectivity coefficient K Pb Ca is 316. As an ion cross\|linking gel, calcium alginate inhomogeneous microspheres can effectively adsorb heavy metal Pb 2+ at a higher selectivity and a higher adsorption velocity. It is a novel and good ion adsorbent.

Application of sodium alginate microspheres in ischemic stroke modeling in miniature pigs

The miniature pig is an optimal animal model for studying nervous system disease because of its physiologic and pathologic features. However, the rete mirabile composed of arteries and veins at the skull base limits their application as a model of ischemic stroke by middle cerebral artery occlusion. The present study investigated the possibility of establishing an ischemic stroke model in the miniature pig by blocking the skull base retia with sodium alginate microspheres. Three Bama miniature pigs were used. Using the monitor of C-arm X-ray machine, sodium aiginate microspheres （100-300 pm）, a novel embolic material, were injected through the femoral artery, aortic arch, common carotid artery, ascending pharyngeal artery and the retia. Results were evaluated using carotid arteriography, MRI, behavior observation and histology. The unilateral rete mirabile was completely blocked, resulting in disturbance in blood supply to the basal ganglia, astasia of the dght hind limb and salivation. MRI and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed an evident infarction focus in the basal ganglia. These findings indicate that sodium alginate microspheres are a suitable embolic material for blocking the skull base retia in miniature pigs to establish an ischemic stroke models.

Removal and recovery of titanium(Ⅳ) from leach liquor of high-sulfur bauxite using calcium alginate microspheres impregnated with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid

In the leaching solution of high-sulfur bauxite roasted by sulfuric acid,a high concentration of aluminum presented along with titanium and iron.The present work was to remove Ti(IV)from the leach liquor by calcium alginate microsphere sorbent material(CA-P204)based on natural alginate impregnated with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid(D2EHPA)to purify leaching solution.Cation exchange and chelation make major contributions to the adsorption mechanism according to Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis.The results showed that Ti(IV)was successfully removed by the CA-P204 adsorbent from the Ti(IV)-Al(III)-Fe(III)ternary system with a dynamic column experiment.The removal rate of titanium was nearly 95%under optimal conditions and the maximum adsorption capacity was 66.79 mg/g at pH 1.0.Reusability of CA-P204 was evaluated over three consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles.The adsorption process was simple,low-cost,and had no waste discharge,suggesting that the CA-P204 was promising,efficient,and economical for removing Ti(IV)from high-sulfur bauxite leaching solution.

Physicochemical properties and release characteristics of calcium alginate microspheres loaded with Trichoderma viride spores

Novel agroformulations for simultaneous delivery of chemical and biologically active agents to the plants were prepared by encapsulation of Trichoderma viride spores in calcium alginate microspheres.The impact of calcium ions concentration on the viability and sporulation of T.viride spores as well as on the microsphere important physicochemical properties were investigated.Intermolecular interactions in microspheres are complex including mainly hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions.T.viride germination inside matrix and germ tubes penetration out of microspheres revealed calcium alginate microspheres provide a supportive environment for T.viride growth.Differences in physicochemical properties and bioactive agents release behaviour from microspheres were ascribed to the changes in microsphere structure.Fitting to Korsmeyer-Peppas empirical model revealed the underlying T.viride release mechanism as anomalous transport kinetics(a combination of two diffusion mechanisms and the Type II transport(polymer swelling and relaxation of the polymeric matrix)).The increasing amount of T.viride spores in the surrounding medium is closely related to the release from microspheres and germination.The rate controlling mechanism of calcium release is Fickian diffusion.A decrease in the release rate with increasing calcium ion concentrations is in accordance with the calcium ions effect on the strength of the alginate network structure.T.viride germination inside microsphere diminished the amount of released calcium ions and slowed release kinetics in comparison with microspheres prepared without T.viride.The results indicated investigated agroformulations have a great potential to be used for plant protection and nutrition.

Studies on Adriamycin Magnetic Gelatin Microspheres

The preparation and properties of adriamycin magnetic gelatin microspheres(Adr- MG-ms)were reported.The synthesis of magnetic iron oxide ultrafine particle and embolization effects of magnetic gelatin microspheres(MG-ms)in dog were studied.Adr- MG-ms consist of 2%(w/w)of adriamycin(Adr)as the core,and 68% of gelatin and 30% of magnetite as the shell with a mean particle size of 22 μm. In vitro experiment,the release rate of drug demonstrated that the microspheres have sustained-release properties.The average diameter of magnetic iron oxide was approximately l0 nm. Transcatheter embolization with MG-ms and ￣(99m)Tc-labelled MG-ms was performed under external magenet control in dog liver,respectively.Gamma photography and angiogram revealed that MG-ms level was almost equal both in left and right hepatic arteries without magnet,while with magnet(1200 Gs),MG-ms level in left hepatic artery(target site)was about 2.25 fold higher than in right hepatic artery,and few MG-ms in thyroid gland,brain and heart was observed.Results showed that the MG-ms is a promising embolic agent for treatment of hepatic cancer under external magnet control.

Decolorization of reactive dyes by laccase immobilized in alginate/gelatin blent with PEG

To achieve effective decolorization of reactive dyes,laccase immobilization was investigated.Laccase 0.2%(m/V)(Denilite IIS) was trapped in beads of alginate/gelatin blent with polyethylene glycol(PEG),and then the supporters were activated by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde.The results of repeated batch decolorization showed that gelatin and appropriate concentration of glutaraldehyde accelerated the decolorization of Reactive Red B-3BF(RRB);PEG had a positive effect on enzyme stability and led to an inc...

Preparation and Properties of Gelatin-Chitosan/Montmorillonite Drug-loaded Microspheres

A kind of slow release drug-loaded microspheres were prepared with gelatin, chitosan and montmorillonite（MMT） by an emulsification/chemical cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent and acyclovir as model drug. The microspheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared （FT-IR） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, respectively. The morphology, drug content, encapsulation efficiency and drug-release behavior were investigated with different MMT contents. The experimental results indicated that intercalated microspheres could be prepared, the morphology of microspheres was markedly affected by MMT. The glomeration performance of uncross-linked microspheres was improved because of the physical cross-linking of MMT. Drug content and encapsulation efficiency were decreased when increased the content of MMT, but burst release and the drug release were significantly decreased with the addition of MMT. Effective physical cross-linking could be formed when added MMT, and MMT could reduce the content of toxic chemical cross-linking agents.

Preparation and in vitro Release Performance of Sustained-release Captopril/Chitosan-gelatin Net-polymer Microspheres

The captopril/Chitosan-gelatin net-polymer microspheres(CTP/CGNPMs) were prepared using Chitosan(CTS) and gelatin(GT) by the methods of emulsification,cross-linked reagent alone or in combination and microcrystalline cellulose(MCC) added in the process of preparation of microspheres,which aimed to eliminate dose dumping and burst phenomenon of microspheres for the improvement of the therapeutic efficiency and the decrease of the side effects of captopril(CTP). The results indicated that CTP/CGNPMs had a spherical shape,smooth surface and integral structure inside but no adhesive phenomena in the preparation. The size distribution ranged from 220 μm to 280 μm. The CTP release test in vitro demonstrated that CTP/CGNPMs played the role of retarding the release of CTP compared with ordinary CTP tablets. The release behaviors of CGNPMS were influenced by preparation conditions such as experimental material ratio(EMR) and composition of cross linking reagents. Among these factors,the EMR(1/4),CLR(FA+SPP) and 0.75% microcrystalline cellulose(MCC) added to the microspheres constituted the optimal scheme for the preparation of CTP/CGNPMs. The ER,DL and SR of CTP/CGNPMs prepared according to the optimal scheme were 46.23±4.51%,9.95±0.77% and 261±42%,respectively. The CTP/CGNPMs had the good characteristics of sustained release of drug and the process of emulsification and cross-linking were simple and stable. The CGNPMs are likely to be an ideal sustained release formulation for water-soluble drugs.

Bioprinting and in vitro characterization of alginate dialdehyde-gelatin hydrogel bio‑ink

Cell-laden cardiac patches have recently been emerging to renew cellular sources for myocardial infarction(MI,commonly know as a heart attack)repair.However,the fabrication of cell-laden patches with porous structure remains challenging due to the limitations of currently available hydrogels and existing processing techniques.The present study utilized a bioprinting technique to fabricate hydrogel patches and characterize them in terms of printability,mechanical and biological properties.Cell-laden hydrogel(or bio-ink)was formulated from alginate dialdehyde(ADA)and gelatin(GEL)to improve the printability,degradability as well as bioactivity.Five groups of hydrogel compositions were designed to investigate the influence of the oxidation degree of ADA and hydrogels concentration on the properties of printed scaffolds.ADA-GEL hydrogels have generally shown favorable for living cells(EA.hy926 cells and hybrid human umbilical vein endothelial cell line).The hydrogel with an oxidation degree of 10%and a concentration ratio of 70/30(or 10%ADA70-GEL30)demonstrated the best printability among the groups examined.Formulated hydrogels were also bioprinted with the living cells(EA.hy926),and the scaffolds printed were then subject to the cell culture for 7 days.Our results illustrate that the scaffolds bioprinted from 10%ADA70–GEL30 hydrogels had the best homogenous cell distribution and also the highest cell viability.Taken together,in the present study we synthesized a newly formulated bio-ink from ADA and GEL and for the fist time,used them to bioprint cardiac patches,which have the potential to be used in MI repair.

Preparation and Characterization in vitro of Sustained-release Captopril/ Chitosan-gelatin Net-polymer Microspheres(Cap/CGNPMs)

The captopril/ Chitosan-gelatin net-polymer microspheres （ Gap/ CGNPMs ） were prepared using Chitosan （ CS ） and gelatin （ Gel ） by the methods of emulsification. A cross linked reagent alone or in combination with microcrystalline cellulose （ MCC ） was added in the process of preparation of microspheres to eliminate dose dumping and burst phenomenon of microspheres for the improvemeat of the therapeutic efficiency and the decrease of the side effects of captopril （ Cap ）. The results indicate that Cap/ CGNPMs have a spherical shape , smooth surface roorphology and integral inside structure and no adhesive phenomena and good roobility , and the size distribution is mairdy from 220 to 280 μm. Researches on the Cap release test in vitro demonstrate that Cap/ CGNPMs are of the role of retarding release of Cap compared with Cap ordinary tablets （COT）, embedding ratio （ER） , drug loading （ DL ）, and swelling ratio （ SR ）, and release behaviors of CGNPMS are influenced by process conditions of preparation such as experimental material ratio （EMR） , composition of cross linking reagents. Among these factors , the EMR（1/4）, CLR （ FOR ＋ TPP） and 0.75% microcrystulline cellulose （MCC） added to the microspheres are the optimal scheme to the preparation of Cap/CGNPMs. The Cap/CGNPMs have a good characteristic of sustained release of drug, and the process of emulsifieation and crossinking process is simple and stable. The CGNPMs is probable to be one of an ideal sustained release system for water-soluble drugs.

Preparation, Characterization, and in vitro Release of Biodegradable Erythromycin-gelatin Microspheres

Blank and erythromycin-loaded gelatin microspheres were successfully fabricated via emulsion chemical- crosslinking technique. The surface morphology of the microspheres was characterized by scanning electron microscope（SEM） and optical microscope. The results show that the microspheres were spherical and smooth. The particle average size of erythromycin-loaded microspheres was found to be 20.6 μm, with a high purity of more than 90% and with a good dispersibility. The microspheres could be obtained in a high yield. Erythromycin released from the microspheres was monitored in buffer and artificial body fluid at 37 ℃. Average drug content was 27.2%, and erythromycin-loaded gelatin microspheres showed good release profiles with a nearly constant release during 4-8 h in artificial body fluid in vitro degradation studies. These gelatin microspheres are useful for studying and developing various drug-delivery systems.

PREPARATION AND DRUG RELEASE CHARACTERISTICS OF PINGYANGMYCIN GELATIN MICROSPHERES FOR EMBOLIZATION THERAPY

Objective: To prepare Pingyangmycin gelatin microspheres (PYM-GMS) for carotid artery embolization therapy and to study the release characteristics in vivo and in vitro. Methods: PYM-GMS was prepared by optical double-phase emulsified condensation polymerization. Through UV-spectrophotometer drug content and encapsulation rate were measured. The characteristics of drug release in vitro which could simulate the actual state in vivo were tested by HPLC. Three ways of vein drop, artery perfusion and artery embolization were contrasted. Under the supervision of X-ray, PYM-GMS were perfused into the external carotid artery of rabbits by superselective artery embolization. Blood samples were tested at different time and analyzed statistically. Results: The roundness of PYM-GMS was 1.02?.005. The mean diameter was 85.6 mm, 78% of them ranging from 50-200 mm, which fitted the use of embolization. PYM content and encapsulation rate were 6.8% and 91.3% respectively. 70% of the drug was released in 3 h in the simulated environment in vivo and total drug was released after more than 6 h. After artery embolization with small dosage of PYM-GMS, the local drug concentration was 8 times higher than the blood drug concentration and the high level of local drug concentration was kept for more than 120 min. Conclusion: External carotid artery embolization with PYM-GMS, which significantly reduced the circulating drug level and employment dosage, could prolong the duration higher drug concentration and suit the purpose of targeted tumor therapy.