Electroresponsive and pH-Sensitive Hydrogel as Carrier for Controlled Chloramphenicol Release

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Multiresponsive hydrogels offer advanced drug delivery solutions, particularly for localized antibiotic treatment to combat bacterial infections.
• Developing systems for controlled antibiotic release aims to reduce systemic administration and improve therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an electro-chemo responsive hydrogel for controlled release of chloramphenicol (CAM).
• To investigate the hydrogel's dual-response to electrical stimuli and pH changes for biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Grafting poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) onto sodium alginate (Alg).
• In situ encapsulation of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanoparticles loaded with CAM (PEDOT/CAM NPs) via emulsion polymerization.
• Evaluating CAM release profiles under different stimuli (electrical, pH) and assessing biological activity.

Main Results:

• The engineered hydrogel (Alg-g-PAA/PEDOT/CAM) demonstrated negligible passive antibiotic release.
• Significant CAM release was achieved under electrostimulation in an acidic environment.
• Released CAM retained its biological activity against bacteria and cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogel exhibits dual-responsiveness to electrical stimuli and pH, enabling controlled antibiotic delivery.
• This smart material shows great potential for fighting bacterial infections and providing localized cancer treatment.