Natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogel for biomedical applications

Abstract

Hydrogel is a polymer network system that can form a hydrophilic three‐dimensional network structure through different cross‐linking methods. In recent years, hydrogels have received considerable attention due to their good biocompatibility and biodegradability by introducing different cross‐linking mechanisms and functional components. Compared with synthetic hydrogels, natural polymer‐based hydrogels have low biotoxicity, high cell affinity, and great potential for biomedical fields; however, their mechanical properties and tissue adhesion capabilities have been unable to meet clinical requirements. In recent years, many efforts have been made to solve these issues. In this review, the recent progress in the field of natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels is highlighted. The authors first introduce the general design principles for the natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels being used as excellent tissue adhesives and the challenges associated with their design. Next, their usages in biomedical applications are summarised, such as wound healing, haemostasis, nerve repair, bone tissue repair, cartilage tissue repair, electronic devices, and other tissue repairs. Finally, the potential challenges of natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels are presented.

Natural and Synthetic Polymers for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

“…Hydrogels based on natural polymers such as alginate, starch, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gelatin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, pectin, and so on show good degradability, biocompatibility, nontoxic degradation products, good flexibility similar to natural tissue, and have natural abundance, which endows them with widespread applications in medicinal fields, for instance, as drug carriers, wound dressing for wound healing, substrates for cell culture, cell delivery systems, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and so on ( Figure 4 ) [ 15 , 16 ].…”

“…Hydrogels based on natural polymers such as alginate, starch, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gelatin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, pectin, and so on show good degradability, biocompatibility, nontoxic degradation products, good flexibility similar to natural tissue, and have natural abundance, which endows them with widespread applications in medicinal fields, for instance, as drug carriers, wound dressing for wound healing, substrates for cell culture, cell delivery systems, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and so on (Figure 4) [15,16]. Hydrogels based on natural polymers have emerged as promising alternatives for the ECM in biomedical applications due to their unique integration of biodegradability, Hydrogels based on natural polymers have emerged as promising alternatives for the ECM in biomedical applications due to their unique integration of biodegradability, biocompatibility, mechanical property tunability, biomimicry, and responsiveness, which could provide microenvironments with the preservation of cellular functions, promotion of cell health, and encouragement of tissue formation [53].…”

“…Some of the main reviews for natural polymers for biomedical and environmental applications are [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ] and for synthetic polymers [ 8 , 12 , 22 , 30 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ].…”

Alginate and Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Enhance Antibacterial Agent Activity on Topical Application

“…19 Although the use of chitosan alone can be utilized to create hydrogels, the formed hydrogel may not have optimal gelling capacity to effectively carry the intended drug. [20][21][22] The solution lies in combining it with another polysaccharide polymer, alginate, which enhances the drug loading capacity in the hydrogel formulation. 23 Utilizing a multivalent cross-linker such as Ca 2+ , the gelation process in alginate forms a cross-linked framework that encapsulates the drug.…”

Recent Advances of Natural-Polymer-Based Hydrogels for Wound Antibacterial Therapeutics

“…In recent years, the research on hydrogels has shown an increasing trend, and their functions have become more and more abundant [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. For example, Liu et al [ 29 ] and Fu et al [ 30 ] achieved high antimicrobial efficiency by loading antibacterial agents into hydrogels or by combining them with phototherapy.…”