Synthesis and evaluation of a collagen–brushite cement as a drug delivery system

Abstract Calcium phosphate cements are known for their biocompatibility and bioactivity, which has led to a significant increase in their use. They have the advantage of being prepared as a malleable paste that sets in a few minutes and can be easily applied in bone defects. In this research work, 6 brushite cement formulations were prepared and the effect of collagen addition and the release of tetracycline were evaluated. All cements gave a malleable paste that set in 2 or 3 min, resulting in a material with pores of 5–20 μm. The cements showed compression resistance values between 0.8 and 1.7 MPa, and the addition of collagen was the most influential factor in the increase of this property. Up to 40 % of the drug was released after 7 days and the effectiveness of its antimicrobial activity was confirmed.