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In Vitro Characterization of Drug-Loaded Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres: Absorption and Release Capacity of Contrast Material, Antibiotics and Analgesics

  • Laboratory Investigation
  • Embolisation (arterial)
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Abstract

Purpose

To examine the characteristics of drug-loaded superabsorbent polymer microspheres (SAP-MS) such as drug absorption, drug release, diameter, and visibility.

Materials and Methods

SAP-MS (HepaSphere150–200 µm; Merit Medical, South Jordan, UT, USA) were suspended in drug solutions: (a) cefazolin, (b) lidocaine, (c) iopamidol and cefazolin, (d) iopamidol and lidocaine, and (e) iopamidol, cefazolin, and lidocaine. The concentrations of drugs were measured, and the amount of each drug absorbed was calculated. Filtered drug-loaded SAP-MS were mixed with saline, and the drug release rates were calculated. The diameter changes of SAP-MS during absorption were observed. Radiography of drug-loaded SAP-MS was evaluated as radiopacity by contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).

Results

The drug concentration did not change during absorption. The release rates increased for 10 min and then came to an equilibrium. The mean amounts of drug absorbed at 180 min and mean release rates at 24 h were (a) cefazolin: 265.4 mg, 64.2%; (b) lidocaine: 19.6 mg, 75.6%; (c) iopamidol: 830.2 mg, 22.5%; cefazolin: 137.6 mg, 21.2%; (d) iopamidol: 1620.6 mg, 78.5%; lidocaine: 13.5 mg, 81.4%; and (e) iopamidol: 643.7 mg, 52.9%; cefazolin: 194.0 mg, 51.6%; lidocaine: 5.3 mg, 58.4%. The diameter of SAP-MS increased for approximately 15 min. Finally, the diameters of SAP-MS were (a) 3.9 times, (b) 5.0 times, (c) 2.2 times, (d) 5.5 times, and (e) 3.6 times larger than the original size. Drug-loaded SAP-MS containing iopamidol were visible under X-ray imaging, with CNRs of (c) 3.0, (d) 9.0, and (e) 4.5.

Conclusion

SAP-MS can absorb and release iopamidol, cefazolin, and lidocaine.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP20K16806. We thank Natsumi Kodama (Aichi Medical University, institute of comprehensive medical research, division of advanced research promotion) for the assistance in reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analyses.

Funding

This study was funded by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Number JP20K16806).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazako Karimata, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan

    Akiko Narita, Yuta Nakano, Hiroaki Okada, Takahiro Yamamoto, Nozomu Matsunaga, Shuji Ikeda, Yuichiro Izumi, Akira Kitagawa, Toyohiro Ota & Kojiro Suzuki

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Correspondence to Akiko Narita.

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Narita, A., Nakano, Y., Okada, H. et al. In Vitro Characterization of Drug-Loaded Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres: Absorption and Release Capacity of Contrast Material, Antibiotics and Analgesics. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 46, 1632–1640 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-023-03559-y

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