Preparation of granules of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite composed of rod-shaped particles and evaluation of their potential for drug carrier

A combination of a material which is included bone metabolism and a drug to moderate the metabolism is promising for bone regeneration. Spherical granules of rod-shaped hydroxyapatite (HA) were prepared through the hydrothermal process. The size of the granules were about 1 mm in diameter. Their Ca/P molar ratio was 1.61 and this indicates that their composition was not stoichiometric (1.67) but Ca-deficient. Their adsorption ability for tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), which inhibited the proliferation of osteoblast-like cells and show the possibility for pharmacological effect, was revealed. The HA granules with THC has a potential to show the pharmacological effect, accompanied by the resorption of the HA granules according to bone metabolism.