Smart Hydrogels for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

Since the last few decades, the development of smart hydrogels, which can respond to stimuli and adapt their responses based on external cues from their environments, has become a thriving research frontier in the biomedical engineering field. Nowadays, drug delivery systems have received great attention and smart hydrogels can be potentially used in these systems due to their high stability, physicochemical properties, and biocompatibility. Smart hydrogels can change their hydrophilicity, swelling ability, physical properties, and molecules permeability, influenced by external stimuli such as pH, temperature, electrical and magnetic fields, light, and the biomolecules’ concentration, thus resulting in the controlled release of the loaded drugs. Herein, this review encompasses the latest investigations in the field of stimuli-responsive drug-loaded hydrogels and our contribution to this matter.

Magnetic hydrogels with ordered structure for biomedical applications

“…Hydrogels have long been regarded as ideal drug delivery carries, owing to their efficient drug encapsulation, precise drug transport, and predictable drug release ( Bordbar-Khiabani and Gasik, 2022 ). The porous network and adjustable degradation of hydrogels allow drugs release sustainably ( Daly et al, 2020 ; Ali et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Therefore, a growing attention is concentrated on imparting functionality to hydrogels. The functional hydrogels (also referred to as smart hydrogels) obtained optimized structure, enhanced performance and environmentally specific controllability, which greatly extends the application in many areas ( Xia et al, 2013 ; Sikdar et al, 2021 ; Bordbar-Khiabani and Gasik, 2022 ; Sun et al, 2022 ).…”

Formulation and Evaluation of Chitosan-Gelatin Thermosensitive Hydrogels Containing 5FU-Alginate Nanoparticles for Skin Delivery

“…Currently, hydrogels are an attractive type of site-specific drug delivery system, and have many applications in medical and biomedical engineering, including wound and cartilage regeneration, bone tissue engineering, soft robotic components, biosensors, and inflammation relief [ 7 , 8 ]. Hydrogels are used for preparation/manufacturing of contact lenses, scaffolds, wound dressing, and hygiene products [ 9 , 10 ]. The unique properties of hydrogels, such as high water content, flexibility, softness, and biocompatibility, makes them suitable for topical/transdermal delivery.…”

“…The pH of the surrounding environment at the pKa and pKb values of the pendant basic and acidic groups influences the swelling of PRHs [ 20 ]. Variations in the pH can occur inside the body due to certain disorders such as inflammation, chronic wounds, and tumors, which are targeted by the drug delivery system [ 9 ].…”

A Ca-based nano bio-coordination polymer providing reversible structural conversion with ability to enhance cytotoxicity of curcumin and induce apoptosis in human gastric cancer AGS cells

“…These examples indicate the importance of finding an efficient method for improving CCM solubility and its therapeutic performance. To date, many nanoparticles have emerged as promising drug delivery vehicles to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability of drugs, such as polymeric micelles, 12 liposomes, 13 dendrimers, 14 hydrogels, 15 and coordination polymers (CPs). 16,17 CPs are infinite systems of metallic ions and organic ligands.…”