João Vitor Oliveira de Amorim, Murilo Priori Alcalde, Leonardo Cabau, Rodrigo Ricci Vivan, Paulo Henrique Weckwerth, Marco Antonio Hungaro Duarte, Guilherme Ferreira da Silva
This study evaluated whether the incorporation of sodium diclofenac-loaded microspheres into a calcium hydroxide paste enhances antibiofilm activity while maintaining physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. Calcium hydroxide paste, calcium hydroxide combined with sodium diclofenac, and calcium hydroxide containing sodium diclofenac-loaded microspheres were evaluated against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms. Antibiofilm activity was assessed by biofilm biovolume and bacterial viability, whereas physicochemical properties were determined by pH and calcium ion release. Biocompatibility was investigated using a rat subcutaneous implantation model. The microsphere-containing formulation showed the lowest biofilm biovolume (17.47 μm3) and bacterial viability (5.64%), significantly outperforming calcium hydroxide alone (34.66 μm3 and 50.08%, respectively; p < 0.001). All materials maintained an alkaline pH, sustained calcium ion release, and showed similar biocompatibility. Sodium diclofenac-loaded microspheres enhanced the antibiofilm activity of calcium hydroxide paste without adversely affecting physicochemical properties or biocompatibility.