Polysaccharide κ-Carrageenan as Doping Agent in Conductive Coatings for Electrochemical Controlled Release of Dexamethasone at Therapeutic Doses

Abstract

Smart conductive materials are developed in regenerative medicine to promote a controlled release profile of charged bioactive agents in the vicinity of implants. The incorporation and the active electrochemical release of the charged compounds into the organic conductive coating is achieved due to its intrinsic electrical properties. The anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone was added during the polymerization, and its subsequent release at therapeutic doses was reached by electrical stimulation. In this work, a Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): κ-carrageenan: dexamethasone film was prepared, and κ-carrageenan was incorporated to keep the electrochemical and physical stability of the electroactive matrix. The presence of κ-carrageenan and dexamethasone in the conductive film was confirmed by µ-Raman spectroscopy and their effect in the topographic was studied using profilometry. The dexamethasone release process was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and High-Resolution mass spectrometry. In conclusion, κ-carrageenan as a doping agent improves the electrical properties of the conductive layer allowing the release of dexamethasone at therapeutic levels by electrochemical stimulation, providing a stable system to be used in organic bioelectronics systems.

Smart Porous Multi-Stimulus Polysaccharide-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

“…On the other hand, the incorporation of anionic drugs and κ-carrageenan on the structure of starch porous materials is particularly interesting since both compounds may act as dopant agents for the conductive matrix, as it was shown recently [ 39 , 53 , 131 ]. Dexamethasone, a well-known glucocorticoid anionic drug, has recently been the object of research from an electrochemical point of view, regarding its doping properties on conductive matrices [ 132 ] and for its ability to be released by electrochemical stimulation from a PEDOT/κ-carrageenan film [ 39 ]. The above opens the possibility to create scaffolds from conductive porous materials and the incorporation of specific drugs in their structure to be applied as stimulation systems in tissue engineering.…”

“…Related with the above, some strategies of drug fixation on conductive polymers using two different doping agents have been reported [ 39 , 149 , 153 ]. The anti-inflammatory drugs dexamethasone and κ-carrageenan were anchored simultaneously during PEDOT film formation, using in situ immobilization.…”

“…The anti-inflammatory drugs dexamethasone and κ-carrageenan were anchored simultaneously during PEDOT film formation, using in situ immobilization. After film oxidation, κC was maintained on the matrix, granting the film greater stability and integrity even after drug release [ 39 ].…”

“…Besides, one of the most relevant applications of polysaccharide-based aerogels is the capability of releasing drugs as controlled delivery systems. The synthetic scaffold acts as a carrier for drug molecules, in order to release them specifically to target cells or tissues and improve their differentiation and regeneration [ 6 , 38 , 39 ]. Specifically, the combination of polysaccharide-based porous materials with biomolecules is known as a polymer bioconjugate and is a novel strategy used for the fixation of amino acids, nuclei acids, peptides, and carbohydrates to different polymers, in order to improve their application as therapeutics [ 40 ].…”

Special Issue: Biopolymers in Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine

“…The potential modulation of the extracellular environment through mechanical, electrical, and biochemical stimulation was introduced, with a particular focus on biophysical and biochemical cues of cells that drive their molecular reprogramming. An example of this concept was presented in the research article from Ramírez Sánchez et al [ 10 ]. A smart conductive composite material was processed using κ-carrageenan as a doping agent to improve its electrical properties.…”