Enhanced bioactivity, antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of silver-doped larnite for orthopaedic applications

Bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field at the forefront of regenerative medicine, aiming to develop innovative strategies for repairing and regenerating bone tissue. Biomaterials play a crucial role as it provides a supportive environment that facilitates cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation for bone formation. The current work investigates the influence of silver doping on the physicochemical and biological properties of larnite (Ca2SiO4) for the application of bone tissue regeneration. In the current work combustion assisted sol–gel method was implemented to synthesize silver doped larnite which offers phase formation at lower temperatures. In-vitro biomineralization studies revealed that silver addition significantly improved hydroxyapatite (HAp) nucleation on the scaffold surfaces when immersed in simulated body fluid. The antibacterial studies of Ag-doped larnite powders were performed using broth dilution assay which showed bacterial inhibition up to 87 % at higher addition of silver concentrations against the clinical pathogens. The biocompatibility of the materials on human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSC’s) exhibited significant proliferation (p < 0.05) on Ca1.90Ag0.10SiO4 as compared with Ca2Ag0SiO4. The increased Ag concentration was found to have a significant influence on the antibacterial properties without affecting the biocompatibility of larnite. These findings highlight the potential of Ag-doped larnite, particularly Ca1.90Ag0.10SiO4, as a promising biomaterial for bone tissue engineering. It demonstrates excellent antibacterial efficacy while maintaining biocompatibility, addressing the critical balance between these two aspects for an optimal bone tissue regeneration.