Biodegradable polymer-nanoclay composites as intestinal sleeve implants installed in digestive tract for obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2020.110676Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Composites of biodegradable PCL and PDLLA mixed with nano-clay Laponite for blending dispersion.

  • Optimization of PCL/PDLLA/Laponite composites via compatibility and mechanical property.

  • Development of PCL/PDLLA/Laponite composites as anchor of intestine sleeve.

  • Well control in body weight and blood sugar in type 2 diabetes rats after implantated the sleeve.

Abstract

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have become serious health problems in 21st century. Development of non-invasive treatment to treat obesity and type-2 diabetes is still unmet needs. For targeting on this, one of the promising treatments is to implant an intestine sleeve in the gastrointestinal tract for limitation of food absorption. In this context, biodegradable polymer intestine sleeve was composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-DL-lactic acid (PDLLA) and disk-shape nano-clay (Laponite®), and fabricated as an implantable device. Here, Laponite® as a rheological additive to improve the compatibility of PCL and PDLLA, and the polymers/clay composites were also evaluated by scanning electron microscopy SEM analysis and mechanical measurements. The mass ratio 90/10/1 of PCL/PDLLA/Laponite® composite was selected for fabrication of intestine sleeve, because of the highest toughness and flexibility, which are tensile strength of 91.9 N/mm2 and tensile strain of 448% at the failure point. The prepared intestine sleeve was implanted and deployed at the duodenum in type2 diabetic rats, providing significant benefits in control of the body weight and blood glucose, while compared with the non-implanted type 2 diabetic rats. More importantly, the food intake records and histopathological section reports presented that the implanted rats still have normal appetites and no noticeable acute symptoms of inflammation in the end of the test. These appreciable performances suggested the implantation of biocompatible polymer composites has a highly potential treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Keywords

Polycaprolactone
Poly(D,L-lactic acid)
Laponite®
Intestine sleeve
Type-2 diabetes

Cited by (0)

1

These authors contributed equally.

View Abstract