ABSTRACT
Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body and is also essential for good health. In the human body, approximately 50% of Mg is found in bones, 49% is found inside the cells of body tissues, and organs, and only 1% exists in the blood, which is relatively constant and extremely significant for blood function. Hundreds of publications covering mechanical tests, in vitro degradation tests, cytotoxicity tests, hemocompatibility evaluation, in vivo animal tests, and human implantation trials have been available for commercial Mg alloys. The selection of alloying elements in biodegradable Mg alloys should be based not only on the improvement of mechanical properties, but also on the consideration of biocompatibility. High zinc content in Mg alloys will increase the temperature interval of crystallization, reducing alloy fluidity and thus deteriorating ingot casting. Biodegradable Mg and its alloys are newly developed metallic materials for bio-medical applications.
