According to a new study, researchers have developed a 3D-printed stent designed to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) using cannabidiol (CBD), potentially offering a targeted alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy.
The study, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, was conducted by scientists from the University of Bern in Switzerland and the University of Rome in Italy. The researchers created a customizable stent made of a laponite-alginate hydrogel and infused it with CBD-loaded PLGA microparticles to allow for controlled and sustained drug release. The stent, tailored for the female urethra, was engineered to maintain structural integrity for at least 14 days under simulated physiological conditions, delivering localized CBD directly to the site of infection.
In laboratory testing, the device demonstrated prolonged antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Researchers say this targeted approach could reduce the need for systemic antibiotics, potentially lowering the risk of side effects and improving adherence while helping combat the global issue of antibiotic resistance.
The study notes that future work will need to move beyond in vitro and ex vivo models. Due to anatomical limitations of small rodents for urethral stent testing, large animal models like pigs will be necessary to evaluate the device’s in vivo efficacy and safety.
“In this study, we successfully developed a 3D-printed stent incorporating CBD-loaded PLGA microparticles for the localized and sustained treatment of UTIs”, concludes the study. “By leveraging 3D printing technology, we demonstrated that patient-specific stent designs can be achieved.”
You can find the full study by clicking here.
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