(-)-Menthol based thixotropic hydrogel and its application as a universal antibacterial carrier

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Novel hydrogelators are crucial for advanced drug delivery systems.
• (-)-Menthol, a known cooling agent, offers a unique base for material design.
• Amino acid derivatives provide versatile functionalization for hydrogel properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel hydrogelator based on (-)-menthol and an amino acid derivative.
• To investigate the self-assembly mechanism and properties of the resulting hydrogel.
• To evaluate the hydrogel's potential as a carrier for antibacterial agents.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of the hydrogelator using (-)-menthol and an l-lysine derivative.
• Characterization of hydrogel properties including pH stability, thixotropy, and viscoelasticity.
• Investigation of self-assembly mechanism using IR, SEM, AFM, and X-ray diffraction.
• Evaluation of antibacterial agent loading and efficacy using Oxford cup method.
• Assessment of cytotoxicity using MTT assay.

Main Results:

• A novel hydrogelator was successfully synthesized, forming stable hydrogels with thixotropic and tunable viscoelastic properties over a wide pH range.
• The self-assembly mechanism involves the formation of 3D multiporous networks driven by acid-base interactions and hydrogen bonding.
• The hydrogel effectively loaded and delivered antibacterial agents (Zn(2+), lincomycin, amoxicillin), exhibiting enhanced antimicrobial activity compared to aqueous solutions.
• The hydrogelator demonstrated complete non-toxicity to living cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogelator offers a promising platform for creating advanced hydrogels with tunable properties.
• The hydrogel exhibits significant potential as a universal carrier for antibacterial agents, enhancing their efficacy.
• This hydrogel technology could be widely applied in cell culture, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems.