Alginate as a Promising Biopolymer in Drug Delivery and Wound Healing: A Review of the State-of-the-Art

Abstract

Biopolymeric nanoparticulate systems hold favorable carrier properties for active delivery. The enhancement in the research interest in alginate formulations in biomedical and pharmaceutical research, owing to its biodegradable, biocompatible, and bioadhesive characteristics, reiterates its future use as an efficient drug delivery matrix. Alginates, obtained from natural sources, are the colloidal polysaccharide group, which are water-soluble, non-toxic, and non-irritant. These are linear copolymeric blocks of α-(1→4)-linked l-guluronic acid (G) and β-(1→4)-linked d-mannuronic acid (M) residues. Owing to the monosaccharide sequencing and the enzymatically governed reactions, alginates are well-known as an essential bio-polymer group for multifarious biomedical implementations. Additionally, alginate’s bio-adhesive property makes it significant in the pharmaceutical industry. Alginate has shown immense potential in wound healing and drug delivery applications to date because its gel-forming ability maintains the structural resemblance to the extracellular matrices in tissues and can be altered to perform numerous crucial functions. The initial section of this review will deliver a perception of the extraction source and alginate’s remarkable properties. Furthermore, we have aspired to discuss the current literature on alginate utilization as a biopolymeric carrier for drug delivery through numerous administration routes. Finally, the latest investigations on alginate composite utilization in wound healing are addressed.

Recent advances in tendon tissue engineering strategy

“…Alginate is one of the naturally abundant and anionic polysaccharides composed of the disaccharide repeating unit [GlcAβ (1)(2)(3)(4)Glcβ(1-3)], implying its low cost utilization. This anionic polymer is characteristic of biocompatibility, low toxicity, structural similarity to ECM and gelling capacity using different methods including covalent crosslinking, ionic crosslinking and thermal gelation (Abourehab et al, 2022). However, alginate hydrogels possess very weak mechanical properties, especially when they are hydrated in water, and have very low electrical and thermal conductivity, non-antibacterial activity, and very poor cell binding activity (Hurtado et al, 2022).…”

The Use of Proteins, Lipids, and Carbohydrates in the Management of Wounds

“…Catanzano et al [ 101 ] proposed polysaccharide hydrogels combining hyaluronan (HA) in a physically cross-linked alginate (ALG) for dermal wound repair that promoted wound closure after 5 days on a rat model of an excised wound. Abourehab et al [ 102 ] reported the attractive properties of alginate for wound care, such as biocompatibility and high-water absorption, minimizing bacterial contamination and wound secretions. HA also contribute to the management of wounds, regulating tissue hydrodynamics, cell migration and proliferation, and the remodeling and repair process of the extracellular matrix [ 103 ].…”

Bio-Based Adhesives for Orthopedic Applications: Sources, Preparation, Characterization, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

“…There are numerous natural polymers that function as bone bio-based adhesives, mostly polymers consisted of animal-inspired bio-based adhesives, such as frog, sandcastle, mussel, polysaccharides, and fibrin glue [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. The most broadly utilized material for soft tissue bio-based adhesives, sealants, and hemostatic agents is fibrin.…”