Preparation and Characterization of Simvastatin Loaded PLGA Microparticles for Tissue Engineering Applications

Simvastatin has been reported to promote osteoblastic activity and inhibit osteoclastic activity.The successful use of simvastatin to promote in vivo bone formation depends on the localconcentration, and there have been continuous efforts to find an appropriate delivery system forlocal delivery. Controlled drug delivery approaches based on microparticles could be a promisingapproach for sustained-localized delivery of simvastatin. In this study, simvastatin-loaded PLGAmicroparticles were prepared by using a modified single emulsion-solvent evaporation method.Uniform, spherical simvastatin loaded PLGA microparticles of size below 10μm were producedby adopting three different drug polymer ratios such as 1:40, 1:20 and 1:10 with encapsulationefficiency above 85%w/w irrespective to the drug polymer ratio and maximum simvastatinloading within PLGA microparticles was observed at drug polymer ratio of 1:10. Two stagerelease of simvastatin from microparticles was observed for 45 days, illustrating a controlledrelease. Simvastatin loaded PLGA microparticles are compatible with hFOB cells and induced in vitro bio-mineralization during 11 days treatment. These studies illustrate the feasibility ofachieving local delivery of simvastatin to induce in vivo bone formation activity by suitablyengrafting simvastatin loaded microparticles within porous scaffolds.