Chitosan Hydrogel Delivery System Containing Herbal Compound Functions as a Potential Antineuroinflammatory Agent

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Pharmacology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Rhein, an anthraquinone from rhubarb, has broad pharmacological effects but limited clinical use due to poor bioavailability and release.
• Hydrogel drug delivery systems offer a solution for controlled release and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
• Chitosan hydrogels are biocompatible and suitable for drug delivery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a chitosan-based hydrogel for sustained delivery of rhein.
• To evaluate the antineuroinflammatory properties of the rhein-chitosan hydrogel (CS-Rh gel).
• To assess the impact of CS-Rh gel on proinflammatory cytokine production and neuroinflammation-related signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of rhein-chitosan hydrogel (CS-Rh gel).
• In vitro assessment of mechanical strength, sustained release, and cytotoxicity.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 cells to measure cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β) and signaling pathway activation (JNK, ERK, p38).

Main Results:

• CS-Rh gel demonstrated superior mechanical strength, sustained rhein release, and low toxicity.
• CS-Rh gel significantly suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in BV2 cells.
• CS-Rh gel effectively inhibited neuroinflammation-related mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways (JNK, ERK, p38).
• The antineuroinflammatory effects were more pronounced at 48 hours compared to 24 hours, indicating sustained action.

Conclusions:

• A novel rhein-chitosan hydrogel (CS-Rh gel) was successfully developed for enhanced drug delivery.
• CS-Rh gel exhibits significant sustained antineuroinflammatory activity by modulating cytokine production and MAPK signaling.
• This CS-Rh gel represents a promising therapeutic agent for treating neuroinflammatory conditions.