Calcium Phosphates as Drug Delivery Systems

Calcium phosphate based ceramics present a unique class of materials for orthopaedic and dental applications owing to their wide range of properties that they posses. The strategy of delivering drugs, proteins and growth factors using calcium phosphate carriers represents the most promising approach to improve their bioavailability, reduce the frequency of administration, and to expand the effective routes of administration for effective treatment of bone diseases. The different phases of calcium phosphates exhibit variable solubility, permeability, roughness and porosity, and are decisive factors of drug loading and adsorption. Further the amazing characteristics of nanophase ceramics suggest that they can be excellent for drug transportation and controlled prolonged release. This chapter focuses on the various types of calcium phosphates, their properties and the different systems that have been used for drug and antibiotic delivery. These different forms of micro and nano calcium orthophosphates have great potential as effective carriers of antibiotics, drugs and growth factors to revolutionize the field of hard tissue engineering.