Xylan-Modified-Based Hydrogels with Temperature/pH Dual Sensitivity and Controllable Drug Delivery Behavior

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Xylan, a natural macromolecule, is explored for hydrogel scaffolds due to its biocompatibility, low toxicity, and biodegradability.
• Developing responsive hydrogels is crucial for advanced drug delivery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel pH and thermoresponsive hydrogels based on maleic anhydride-modified xylan (MAHX).
• To evaluate the potential of these MAHX-based hydrogels as carriers for intestinal-targeted drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Graft polymerization of MAHX with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and acrylic acid (AA) using UV irradiation.
• Characterization using swelling tests, lower critical solution temperature (LCST) analysis, FTIR, and SEM.
• In vitro drug release studies with acetylsalicylic acid and theophylline, and cytotoxicity assays with NIH3T3 cells.

Main Results:

• The synthesized MAHX-g-P(NIPAm-co-AA) hydrogels exhibited dual pH and temperature sensitivity with controlled pore volume and mechanical properties.
• In vitro studies showed higher cumulative release rates for acetylsalicylic acid compared to theophylline.
• The hydrogels demonstrated sustained release of acetylsalicylic acid in simulated gastrointestinal fluids and promoted NIH3T3 cell proliferation, indicating good biocompatibility.

Conclusions:

• MAHX-based hydrogels possess excellent swelling-deswelling properties, uniform porous structures, and dual sensitivity, making them suitable for drug delivery.
• These hydrogels show potential for intestinal-targeted drug delivery due to their controlled release kinetics and satisfactory biocompatibility.