Orthopedic implant-associated infections remain a major clinical concern, often leading to implant failure and prolonged patient recovery. Conventional calcium phosphate (CaP) coatings, although bioactive, lack inherent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions, limiting their long-term clinical effectiveness. In this study, Ormocarpum cochinchinensis-enriched CaP composite coatings were developed as multifunctional biomaterials for orthopedic applications. The coatings were produced using a wet chemical dip-coating technique and characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction for phase identification, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for functional group analysis, and UV-visible spectroscopy for optical behavior. Biodegradation studies in simulated body fluid confirmed controlled dissolution behavior and ion release. The coatings exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. In vitro biological evaluations, including MTT cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory assays, demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility at concentrations ≤ 32 μg/mL with an IC50 value of 83.86 μg/mL, along with notable protein denaturation inhibition. These results indicate that Ormocarpum cochinchinensis-based CaP coatings possess combined osteoconductive, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functionality, highlighting their strong potential as next-generation biofunctional surfaces for infection-resistant orthopedic implants.
Balasubramani et al. (Tue,) studied this question.