New antibacterial hydrogels based on sodium alginate

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Microbial contamination poses significant challenges in biomedical applications.
• Smart materials offer innovative solutions for drug delivery and infection control.
• Development of advanced hydrogels is crucial for effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel hydrogel drug delivery platform.
• To evaluate the drug loading, release kinetics, and antibacterial efficacy of the developed hydrogel.
• To assess the cytocompatibility of the hydrogel for potential biomedical use.

Main Methods:

• Graft polymerization of sodium alginate with β-carboxyethyl acrylate and acrylamide.
• In situ loading of 9-Aminoacridine (9-AA) and kanamycin sulfate (KS) during polymerization.
• Characterization using chemical structure analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and morphological studies.
• Swelling behavior, pH-dependent drug release, antibacterial assays, and cytocompatibility tests.

Main Results:

• Hydrogels with grafting efficiency of 70.01-78.08% were successfully prepared.
• Drug-loaded hydrogels exhibited controlled, pH-dependent drug release.
• Hydrogels showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (88.6-89.3%).
• Blank hydrogels demonstrated high cell viability (92.5%), indicating good cytocompatibility.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized hydrogel platform is a promising candidate for smart drug delivery.
• The material exhibits effective antimicrobial properties and favorable biocompatibility.
• This innovation holds potential for overcoming microbial contamination issues in biomedical settings.