Preparation and in vitro osteogenic evaluation of high-strength ceramic artificial bone loaded with anti-tuberculosis drug PaMZ

The objective of this study was to prepare a high-strength ceramic artificial bone loaded with the anti-tuberculosis drug PaMZ (delamanid, moxifloxacin, and pyrazinamide) and evaluate its physical characteristics and osteogenic potential. We utilized 3D printing technology to fabricate artificial bones and then obtained a high-strength ceramic artificial bone by high-temperature firing. Then, a triple combination of anti-tuberculosis drugs, including delamanid (Pa), moxifloxacin (M), pyrazinamide (Z), and polylactic acid-co-glycolic acid mixed in a ratio of 3:12:45:140, was incorporated onto the surface of the ceramic artificial bone. Consequently, a high-strength ceramic artificial bone, loaded with anti-tuberculosis drugs, was successfully obtained. The physical characteristics of the drug-loaded artificial bone were assessed using an electronic universal testing machine and scanning electron microscopy. The osteogenic performance of the artificial bone was evaluated through rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (rBMSCs) co-culture experiment, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) cell proliferation assay, alkaline phosphatase staining, and alizarin red staining. The drug-loaded ceramic artificial bone exhibited favorable physical characteristics, void interconnection, a porosity of 30.6% ± 0.7%, and a compressive strength of 17.65 ± 0.46 MPa. The rBMSCs co-culture experiment and CCK-8 cell proliferation experiment demonstrated excellent cell compatibility, while alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red staining indicated good in vitro osteogenic performance. In summary, the high-strength ceramic artificial bone loaded with the anti-tuberculosis drug PaMZ exhibited a favorable morphological structure and compressive strength. In addition, it demonstrated good biocompatibility and osteogenic properties.