Injectable Hydrogel of Vitamin B

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Folic acid (FA), vitamin B9, facilitates cellular uptake via endocytosis but has limited water solubility.
• Developing effective drug delivery vehicles for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel folic acid-based hydrogel for efficient drug encapsulation and controlled release.
• To investigate the drug loading, release kinetics, and in vitro cytotoxicity of the developed hydrogel.

Main Methods:

• Formation of a folic acid hydrogel via hydrolysis of glucono-δ-lactone in PBS buffer.
• Encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and camptothecin (CPT) utilizing the hydrogel's thixotropic properties.
• Analysis of drug release profiles at different pH values (4 and 7) using the Peppas model and fluorescence spectroscopy.
• Assessment of hydrogel and drug-loaded hydrogel cytotoxicity using the MTT assay.

Main Results:

• A fibrillar folic acid hydrogel was successfully synthesized under physiological conditions.
• The hydrogel demonstrated efficient encapsulation of both hydrophilic (DOX) and hydrophobic (CPT) drugs via H-bonding interactions.
• DOX exhibited sustainable release at pH 4 and 7, with Fickian diffusion at pH 7 and non-Fickian at pH 4.
• The folic acid hydrogel showed no inherent toxicity, and DOX-loaded hydrogel displayed enhanced cytotoxicity compared to free DOX, with low toxicity to normal cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed folic acid hydrogel is a biocompatible and effective platform for co-delivering hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.
• The hydrogel's properties enable controlled drug release and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
• This folic acid hydrogel represents a promising advancement in targeted cancer therapy.