3D printing of bioinspired compartmentalized capsular structure for controlled drug release.

Jingwen LI; Mingxin WU; Wenhui Chen; Haiyang Liu; Di Tan; Shengnan Shen; Yifeng Lei; Longjian Xue

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3D printing of bioinspired compartmentalized capsular structure for controlled drug release.

Author: Jingwen LI ¹ ; Mingxin WU ² ; Wenhui CHEN ¹ ; Haiyang LIU ¹ ; Di TAN ¹ ; Shengnan SHEN ³ ; Yifeng LEI ⁴ ; Longjian XUE ¹
Author Information

1. School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
2. The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
3. School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. yifenglei@whu.edu.cn, Shen_Shengnan@whu.edu.cn.
4. The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. yifenglei@whu.edu.cn.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Bioink; Bioinspired; Capsule; Drug release; Three-dimensional (3D) printing
From: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2021;22(12):1022-1033
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Drug delivery with customized combinations of drugs, controllable drug dosage, and on-demand release kinetics is critical for personalized medicine. In this study, inspired by successive opening of layered structures and compartmentalized structures in plants, we designed a multiple compartmentalized capsular structure for controlled drug delivery. The structure was designed as a series of compartments, defined by the gradient thickness of their external walls and internal divisions. Based on the careful choice and optimization of bioinks composed of gelatin, starch, and alginate, the capsular structures were successfully manufactured by fused deposition modeling three-dimensional (3D) printing. The capsules showed fusion and firm contact between printed layers, forming complete structures without significant defects on the external walls and internal joints. Internal cavities with different volumes were achieved for different drug loading as designed. In vitro swelling demonstrated a successive dissolving and opening of external walls of different capsule compartments, allowing successive drug pulses from the capsules, resulting in the sustained release for about 410 min. The drug release was significantly prolonged compared to a single burst release from a traditional capsular design. The bioinspired design and manufacture of multiple compartmentalized capsules enable customized drug release in a controllable fashion with combinations of different drugs, drug doses, and release kinetics, and have potential for use in personalized medicine.