Loading curcumin on titanium nanotubes to improve surface biological activity

Abstract Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric, which exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory and promoting bone healing effects. To enhance the bioactivity of the surface of titanium implants and promote early bone integration, the pure titanium surface was modified by composite modification through electrochemical anodic oxidation and drug coating. The surface of the prepared materials was characterized by scanning electron microscopy , atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface contact angle analyzer. The drug release performance of the modified titanium surfaces was evaluated by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and identified. The effects of surface modification on cell viability were investigated through CCK-8, cell adhesion, and live/dead cell staining experiments. The effects of different surface-treated titanium sheets on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were evaluated by transwell assay, alkaline phosphatase activity assay, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction , and mineralization nodule staining experiments. The results showed that successful loading of titanium nanotubes with curcumin was prepared, and the surface-modified titanium sheets had effective physical properties (excellent corrosion resistance, mechanical properties and hydrophilicity) and drug release capabilities. The results of in vitro cell culture experiments indicated that superior cell adhesion morphology was observed on the surface of each group of titanium sheets. TiO2 nanotubes and curcumin could significantly promote bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation and showed pleasant biocompatibility. The in vitro osteogenic induction differentiation experiments confirmed that the TiO2 nanotube structure and curcumin coating could promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This study provides a significant theoretical foundation and experimental support for the development of bioactive implants for dental applications.