In Vitro Characterization of Calcium Salts as Delivery Vehicles for Insulin

Normalization of blood glucose levels with systemic insulin or by local administration of insulin to the fracture site can normalize early parameters of fracture healing. However, the short biological half-lives of growth factors and cytokines may impose severe restraints on their clinical usefulness. To find an optimal carrier, calcium salts (Calcium sulfate (CaSO4) and β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP)) have been investigated as possible delivery vehicles for insulin in osseous repair. Released kinetics was determined for both materials by measuring insulin concentrations using a specific insulin ELISA Kit. The data showed that CaSO4 caused a big burst of insulin release, and continues to release the insulin for 5 hours. However, TCP gradually released insulin to the solution in smaller quantities for approximately 12 hours.