Physico-chemical Properties of Bioactive Borate Glasses with Clinical Significance

New and innovative technologies are essential for advancing wound care. The first class of bioactive glass emerged in the 1960’s when it was determined that silicate-based products could be used to regenerate hard tissues (i.e., bone and dentin) [1]. Since that time, many new forms of resorbable ceramics have demonstrated clinical utility, including, most recently, bioactive borate-based glasses (BBG), which have been developed for use in soft tissue (e.g., dermis, nerve) repair [2,3]. BBG compositions are similar to silicate-based bioactive glasses, except that they contain B2O3 instead of SiO2. Like other bioactive glass families, BBG’s contain alkaline and alkaline earth oxides (e.g., CaO, P2O5, Na2O, K2O and MgO) with or without trace elements (e.g., Zn, Cu, Ag). By varying structure (geometry and scale) and composition, BBG can be optimized for clinical applications via sustained release of micronutrient ions during resorption [1]. Notably, certain micronutrient ions have been shown to have hemostatic (Ca2+), angiogenic (Ca2+, B3+, Cu2+, Zn2+), antibacterial (B3+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ag+), antifungal (B3+) and anti-inflammatory (B3+, Zn2+, Ag+) effects in-vitro and in-vivo pre-clinical models [2,4–8]. Given the importance of these biological effects on tissue repair, BBGs are an exciting new material with the potential for unparalleled clinical applications in soft-tissue healing and beyond.