By Inna V. Fadeeva, Margarita A. Goldberg, Ilya I. Preobrazhensky, Georgy V. Mamin, Galina A. Davidova, Nadezhda V. Agafonova, Marco Fosca, Fabrizio Russo, Sergey M. Barinov, Simona Cavalu & Julietta V. Rau
Full text at https://link-springer-com.am.e-nformation.ro/article/10.1007%2Fs10856-021-06575-x

Zinc (Zn) is an important biological trace element that plays a role in the normal growth and development of the skeleton. Its content in human bones (0.0126–0.0217 wt%) is about 28% of the total amount of Zn in the body (0.0030 wt% of Zn in tissues) [20]. The lack of Zn slows down the growth of the bone mass and has a negative influence on the bone metabolism [21]. On the other hand, Zn deficiency is a factor of risk for bone osteoporosis [22].




Copyright J. Rau, Simona Cavalu et al.

In this work, the cement based on the Zn-substituted β-TCP powder with a simplified preparation recipe and improved characteristics was developed. The setting time of cements was 8 min (the ratio of cement powder: hardening liquid = 3:1), which is optimal for preparation and application of the developed cements for bone defects during surgery. The Zn2+ content was selected to be 1.40 wt%. The pH of the cements reached 6.5 within 60 min after setting. After soaking in physiological solution for 60 days, the morphology and composition of cements changed. The final phases were DCPD and HA.The EPR measurements showed the presence of the trapped hydrogen and confirmed that annealing at 900 °C led to the significant reduction of carbonate impurities embedded into the β-TCP structure.The NCTC L929 fibroblast cell viability on the developed Zn-β-TCP cement was 10% higher compared to cement without Zn and possess antibacterial properties against E. coli, E. faecium, and P. aeruginosa.This finding confirms that the novel material could be a valid strategy for a range of biomedical application in humans. Therefore, it could offer promising potential for bone replacement and repair in moderate and non-load-bearing defects that are prone to infection in orthopedic and trauma setting.
