Biocompatibility In-Vivo Evaluation of Polypyrrole/Iodine Synthesized by Plasma Polymerization

Polypyrrole is recognized as a biocompatible material. Plasma polymerization is a technique that enables the synthesis of polymers utilized in certain biomedical applications. In this work, the biocompatibility of Polypyrrole/Iodine synthesized by plasma was explored through the determination of the median lethal dose and subacute systemic toxicity in-vivo murine models. The findings indicated that the median lethal dose was not reached even at a dose of 13.6 mg/Kg in Swiss-Webster mice. No mortality occurred throughout the 14-day observation period, neither persistent adverse effect or significant changes in body weight or relative organ weights. In relation to subacute systemic toxicity, transient behavioral changes indicative of stress and pain were observed in Wistar rats following administration of a 20 mg/Kg dose, these changes resolved within a period of 1 h. Additionally, an elevation in transaminase levels was detected. However, these alterations did not affect the overall clinical condition. In conclusion, the conducted investigations did not reveal any potential for systemic toxicity of Polypyrrole/Iodine up to a dose of 20 mg/Kg, which is 30 times higher than the therapeutic dose used in pre-clinical studies. Therefore, it can be considered safe for use.