Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2006 June; 27 (6): 754-759; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2006.00337.x

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2006 June; 27 (6): 754-759; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2006.00337.x

Original Article

In vitro characteristics of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres incorporating gelatin particles loading basic fibroblast growth factor

Shao-hong LI^1,4, Shao-xi CAI^1,3, Bing LIU¹, Kai-wang MA¹, Zhen-ping WANG¹,Xiao-kun LI²

¹Key Laboratory for Biomechanical and Tissue Engineering, State Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineerin, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China; ²Gene Medicine Engineering Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China

Aim: To construct a sustained drug release system for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). With this special system, bFGF can be used to repair an injured peripheral nerve, injured spinal cord, or as a carrier for other drugs that need to be released over a long time.

Methods: Microsphere composite was prepared by encapsulating bFGF into gelatin particles with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) as its outer-coating. The encapsulation was conducted by a phase separation method.

Results: The average diameter of the gelatin particle-PLGA microsphere composite was 5-18 µm, and bFGF-loading efficiency was up to 80.5%. The bFGF releasing experiment indicated that this new composite system could release bFGF continuously and protect bFGF from denaturation.

Conclusion: A modified approach was successfully employed to develop a biodegradable system for sustained release of the drug of bFGF in vitro.

Keywords: poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid); gelatin; basic fibroblast growth factor; microsphere; delayed-action preparations

³Correspondence to Prof Shao-xi CAI.
Phn/Fax 86-23-6511-2097.
E-mail SXCai@cqu.edu.cn
⁴Co-correspondence to Shao-hong LI.
E-mail imamankk@yahoo.com.cn
Received 2005-10-11 Accepted 2005-12-16

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