In Vitro Degradation Behavior of the Mg-Cu Alloy in Simulated Gastric Fluid and Its Bioactivity against H. pylori and Gastric Cancer Cells.

Magnesium (Mg)-based metals are chemically active and are considered suitable for use as temporary implants in the human body due to their susceptibility to corrosion by body fluids and their controlled degradation in biological environments. This characteristic eliminated the requirement for secondary surgical intervention and minimized the burden on patients. Existing studies have indicated that the antibacterial properties of Mg-based metals are primarily attributed to the alkaline environment generated during their degradation; however, pure Mg exhibits limitations in exerting antibacterial activity in acidic environments such as gastric acid in the body. Therefore, it is important to investigate the antibacterial behavior using metal elements with inherent antibacterial resistance, including copper (Cu). In this study, the degradation behavior of pure Mg and Mg-xCu alloys (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 wt %) in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and Hank's solution was evaluated using immersion experiments. The results indicated that the Mg-0.2Cu alloy exhibited superior corrosion resistance with appropriate degradation characteristics in both SGF and Hank's solution. The in vitro cancer inhibition experiment demonstrated that Mg-0.2Cu alloy effectively inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, the Mg-0.2Cu alloy exhibited stronger inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) compared with pure Mg. These findings demonstrated that the biodegradable Mg-Cu alloy possesses significant potential for application in implantable devices for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer.