Collagen/chitosan porous bone tissue engineering composite scaffold incorporated with Ginseng compound K

• First study incorporating compound K(CK) from ginseng to the composite scaffold.
• Biomimetic porous bone scaffold from biological wastes.
• Cost effective method.
• CK improves material stability and increases cell adhesions.
• MTT results evidence for cell adhesion proving biocompatibility and osteoindctivity.

In this study, suitable scaffold materials for bone tissue engineering were successfully prepared using fish scale collagen, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, and beta-tricalcium phosphate. Porous composite scaffolds were prepared by freeze drying method. The Korean traditional medicinal ginseng compound K, a therapeutic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis that reduces inflammation and enhances production of bone morphogenetic protein-2, was incorporated into the composite scaffold. The scaffold was characterized for pore size, swelling, density, degradation, mineralization, cell viability and attachment, and its morphological features were examined using scanning electron microscopy. This characterization and in vitro analysis showed that the prepared scaffold was biocompatible and supported the growth of MG-63 cells, and therefore has potential as an alternative approach for bone regeneration.