In vitro attenuation of astrocyte activation and neuroinflammation through ibuprofen-doping of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxypyrrole) formulations

•Ibuprofen-loaded poly(3,4-ethylenedioxypyrrole) is assessed as a neural interface.•Electrochemically superior material is formed via a three-step immobilization method.•PEDOP is able to immobilize up to 250 µg/ml of IBU and elute it within circa 20 days.•IBU-loaded PEDOP controls astrocyte activation and suppresses neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is often associated with poor functional recovery and may contribute to or initiate the development of severe neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Ibuprofen (IBU), being one of the most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is known to possess neuroprotective activity and serve as a promising therapeutic for the treatment of neuroinflammation. In this study, the potential of an IBU-loaded poly(3,4-ethylenedioxypyrrole) (PEDOP) matrix has been assessed as a neural interface material with an aim to control astrocyte activation and suppress neuroinflammation in vitro. Three types of drug immobilization protocols were investigated, leading to the fabrication of IBU-loaded PEDOP matrices exhibiting a broad spectrum of electrical characteristics, drug release profiles, as well as biological responses. Among all investigated PEDOP formulations, PEDOP matrices formed through a three-step immobilization protocol exhibited the highest charge storage capacity (30 ± 1 mC/cm2) as well as a double layer capacitance of 645.0 ± 51.1 µF, associated with a relatively enlarged surface area. Demonstrating a total drug loading capacity of 150 µg/ml and a release rate constant of 0.15 1/h, this coating formulation may be employed as a safe electrical conducting drug eluting system.