Evaluating a Novel Class of Biomaterials: Magnesium-Containing Layered Double Hydroxides.

Metallic magnesium and compounds such as magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)(2) have been shown to have osteoconductive properties under experimental conditions and are gaining an increasing interest in the field of degradable biomaterials. The application of the compounds as implant coatings could support implant incorporation, resulting in an increased period of use of the implants. A variety of Mg-containing Layered Double Hydroxides (Mg-LDHs) has been synthesized and examined. These materials have been tested in various in vitro and in vivo studies; the latter took place in different sites like in the middle ear or in the condyle of New Zealand White Rabbits. In the latest study newly formed bone could be found around the Mg-Al-CO3-LDH pellets, making it a promising compound for bone-healing applications.