Alginate hydrogels functionalized with β-cyclodextrin as a local paclitaxel delivery system

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Beta-cyclodextrins (β-CyD) improve drug solubility, stability, and release profiles.
• Alginate is a natural polysaccharide suitable for hydrogel formation and drug encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel hydrogel drug delivery system using alginate functionalized with β-CyD moieties for local paclitaxel delivery.
• To evaluate the impact of β-CyD modification on hydrogel properties, paclitaxel complexation, release kinetics, and in vitro efficacy against prostate cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Alginate was functionalized with β-CyD moieties.
• Hydrogels were prepared and characterized for rheological and mechanical properties.
• In vitro paclitaxel release and cytotoxicity assays on PC-3 prostate cancer cells were performed.

Main Results:

• β-CyD modification reduced hydrogel mechanical properties but did not significantly alter gelation kinetics.
• β-CyD-modified alginate reduced paclitaxel crystallization and facilitated its diffusion from the gel.
• Grafted β-CyD alginate exhibited enhanced paclitaxel complexation capacity compared to free HPβ-CyD.
• Released paclitaxel and degradation products demonstrated cytotoxic effects on PC-3 cells.

Conclusions:

• Functionalized alginate with β-CyDs shows promise as a material for advanced drug delivery systems.
• The developed hydrogel system effectively delivers paclitaxel, improving its properties and demonstrating anti-cancer activity.