Nanogel-Integrated pH-Responsive Composite Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Development of advanced hydrogel systems for controlled drug delivery.
• pH-sensitive materials for targeted therapeutic applications.
• Integration of nanocarriers within hydrogel networks to enhance drug loading and release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel pH-sensitive hydrogel system for controlled delivery of pregabalin (PGB).
• To investigate the synthesis and properties of nanocarrier-integrated hybrid gels.
• To evaluate the pH-responsive swelling and drug release behavior of the developed system.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of poly(methacrylic acid-g-ethylene glycol) (P(MAA-g-EG)) and cholesterol-bearing pullulan (CHPOA) nanogels.
• Fabrication of nanogel-integrated hydrogels using surface-initiated and bulk photopolymerization.
• Characterization of hydrogel swelling behavior at acidic and basic pH.
• In vitro drug release studies of pregabalin (PGB) from the hydrogels.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assessment of the developed hydrogel systems.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized pH-sensitive hydrogels integrated with CHPOA nanogels.
• Nanogel-integrated hydrogels demonstrated enhanced swelling compared to plain hydrogels.
• Improved loading and release percentages of pregabalin (PGB) were observed in the presence of nanogels.
• Drug release kinetics were analyzed to understand the transport mechanism.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays confirmed the non-toxic nature of the developed hydrogels.

Conclusions:

• A novel, pH-responsive, nanocarrier-integrated hydrogel system was successfully developed.
• The system exhibits enhanced swelling and drug delivery capabilities for pregabalin.
• Visible light-induced synthesis offers a novel and potentially safer fabrication method.
• The developed hydrogels show promise for pH-triggered release of therapeutic molecules in clinical applications.