Preparation of biodegradable PHBV devices containing gentamicin sulfate

Gentamicin sulfate (GS)-loaded poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) devices were prepared for controlled-release of antibiotics. In this study, the effects of thickness, hydroxyvalerate (HV) content, initial drug-loading ratio, and additive content on the release profile have been investigated. The morphology of devices was examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) before and after in vitro release; their highly porous surface and cross-sectional were observed. It could be suggested that device would be affected by the packing of the HV and additive content, which would depend on their structure. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect and quantify the release of GS from the device. The drug release from all the devices showed biphasic release patterns, and some matrices released the incorporated antibiotic throughout 30 days with a near zero-order release rate. The release patterns were shown to be changed by altering the thickness, copolymer ratio, and additive content.