Medicated rods designed to help with targeted gum disease treatment

Scientists from Germany’s Martin Luther University (MLU) have fashioned biodegradable rods to help patients with gum disease and tough-to-treat oral infection. The scientists, along with colleagues at the Fraunhofer research institutes, developed flexible polymer rods to be inserted the space that develops between a tooth and the inflamed gum tissue (gingival pocket) as these would work better than antibiotic pills. Medication for gum disease usually requires a large dosage and can cause severe side effects.

The polymer rods incorporate an antibiotic known as minocycline, contained within a carrier material called magnesium stearate – once inserted, the medication is released directly into the affected area as the rod is broken down by the body.

Up till now, treatment with the rods has been effective in in-vitro testing, so large-scale production should soon be possible. Fraunhofer spinoff company PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals said the rods could be commercially available within a few years.

Category: Pharmaceuticals