Abstract:

BACKGROUND: In recent years, fibrin glue as a drug delivery carrier, has been attracting a growing attention. Ganciclovir is an effective broad-spectrum antiviral drug of viral keratitis. Therefore, we choose this drug in the initial exploration and research of drug delivery-fibrin glue-amniotic membrane.
OBJECTIVE: To study the release characteristics of ganciclovir-fibrin glue-amniotic membrane and to explore a new method for clinical treatment of viral keratitis. 
METHODS: In vitro study: fibrin glue compounded with ganciclovir and amniotic membrane to prepare the ganciclovir-fibrin glue-amniotic membrane complex and the in vitro release characteristics of ganciclovir was studied. In vivo study: ganciclovir-fibrin glue-amniotic membrane complex was transplanted on right eyes of New Zealand rabbits as experimental group, and 1 g/L ganciclovir dropped into left eye, 100 μL was given in 5 eyes every 2 hours as the control. The ganciclovir concentration in the aqueous humors was assayed by high performance liquid chromatography.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In vitro release study revealed that the accumulative release rate of ganciclovir was (45.67±5.32)% 24 hours after incubation and rose to (63.42±4.68)% 48 hours later. The release process went to a balance condition 96 hours later. Animal indicated that the ganciclovir level in aqueous gradually reduced along with time. The drug level was significantly higher for experimental group than control at 1 day (P < 0.05); during 2-3 days, the drug level in aqueous of experimental group was higher than control group without significant differences; the ganciclovir level in aqueous of experimental group was lower than that of control group at 4-5 days (P < 0.05). The ganciclovir-fibrin glue-amniotic membrane complex has a good sustained release property both in vitro and in vivo, it may be a new treatment of viral keratitis.