[Hydrogels: properties and application in the technology of drug form. I. The characteristic hydrogels]

The following presentation is a review of literature related to application of hydrogels in the technology of modern drug form. The review contains the description of physical-chemical properties of hydrogels, such as swelling, water structure, sol-gel temperature transitions, tacticity. Each characteristic is followed by the description of its application as a therapeutical substance carrier. In this review described also examples of polymers used to produce stimuli-sensitive hydrogels in response to physiological temperature, pH, present of ions in organism fluid, or blood glucose level and external response such as electric current, light.