Journal Article

The bonding strength between bone and α-2-cyanoacrylate polymers, with or without the addition of powdered hydroxyapatite, was determined. The tensile strength of a bone-cyanoacrylatebond was measured for each polymer: 4.31± 0.88 M Pa(methyl-), 5.74 ± 0.62 MPa (ethyl-), and 8.33 ± 0.41 MPa (isobutyl-). The tensile strength of the isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylatebond increased to 12.03 ± 0.72 MPa with the addition of 10% (w/v) hydroxyapatite before decreasing to 7.89 ± 0.58 Mpa on addition of 15% (w/v)hydroxyapatite.

Cyanoacrylate, a synthetic adhesive, is a fast polymerizable liquid monomer. Serendipity led to the discovery of cyanoacrylate adhesives in 1951. Today, a specific cyanoacrylate monomer, 2-octyl cyanoacrylate, is being used in a topical medical adhesive formulation. The only over-the-counter cyanoacrylate-based product cleared by the Food and Drug Administration is Colgate ORABASE Soothe.N. Seal Liquid Protectant. Upon application, this liquid monomer formulation polymerizes instantly into a thin, flexible polymer film that adheres tenaciously to mucosal tissue.

The efficacy of primaquine-loaded polyisohexylcyanoacrylate (PIHCA) nanoparticles was evaluated using J774G8 macrophage-like cells infected with Leishmania donovani: as an in vitro model of visceral leishmaniasis. The in vitro antileishmanial activity of primaquine-loaded nanoparticles showed a 21-fold increase in ED50 compared with free primaquine. Although unloaded PIHCA nanoparticles also exhibited a significant anti-leishmanial effect, the loaded nanoparticles showed a synergistic effect compared with a mixture of unloaded nanoparticles and free primaquine at equivalent concentrations.

The need for medical grade tissue adhesives both in surgery and to treat trauma has become well established. Such a device has been developed and preliminary toxicity testing completed on a compounded cyanoacrylate (Neucrylate), and its properties have been modified so it may be used as an intravascular embolic agent. Given the high incidence of iatrogenic infections in hospital, it would be desirable to have such an implantable device that inhibits dangerous bacteria.

Over the past century, synthetic adhesives have largely displaced their natural counterparts in medical applications. However, rising concerns over the environmental and toxicological effects of the solvents, monomers, and additives used in synthetic adhesives have recently led the scientific community to seek natural substitutes. Marine mussel adhesive protein is a formaldehyde-free natural adhesive that demonstrates excellent adhesion to several classes of materials, including glasses, metals, metal oxides, and polymers.

Cyanoacrylates (CAs) were not widely adopted for medical use until recently because of lingering concerns regarding the initial tissue toxicities of the short-chain CAs. The medium-chain CAs, primarily butyl-cyanoacrylate, have been widely used in Europe and Canada for several decades and have gone a long way in dispelling any lingering concerns about tissue toxicity. The newer, longer chain CA, octyl-2-cyanoacrylate (2-OCA), now has been approved for multiple uses in the United States and has achieved widespread acceptance by the medical and lay communities.

Lactic acid has been first introduced to us as early as 1780 as a sour component of milk. Ever since we have found its applications in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries etc. Now there are emerging uses as a potential feedstock for the biodegradable polymer industry. The microorganisms being used for lactic acid fermentation, the raw materials reported, the various novel fermentation processes and its processing methods have been reviewed. The properties and applications of lactic acid, its derivatives and polymer have been discussed.

The recent development of biodegradable polymers for drug delivery system (DDS) has been investigated. The biodegradable polymers for DDS are mainly discussed in two categories: one category is natural biodegradable polymers such as polysaccharides, modified celluloses, poly(α-amino acids)s, modified proteins, and microbial biodegradable polymers; the other is synthetic biodegradable polymers such as poly(ester)s, poly(ortho ester)s, poly(phosphazene)s, poly(anhydride)s, poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate)s, and multiblock copolymers.

The biocompatibility and bioresorption of 3-methoxybutylcyanoacrylate (MBCA) was evaluated in vivo using female Wistar albino rats. MBCA was found to elicit slight to moderate tissue reaction similar to isobutylcyanoacrylate (iBCA) which has been sold commercially as a surgical adhesive (Bucrylate®, Ethicon). MBCA was judged less reactive to tissue than ethylcyanoacrylate (ECA). The MBCA implants in rat gluteal muscles also resorbed within approx. 16 wk while iBCA implants remained essentially unchanged at 36 wk in vivo.