Design and advances in antioxidant hydrogels for ROS-induced oxidative disease

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in human physiological processes, but oxidative stress caused by excessive ROS may lead to a variety of acute and chronic diseases. Despite the development of various strategies and biomaterials, an efficiently and broadly applied method for treatment of ROS-induced oxidative disease remains a bottleneck. Aiming to improve the local oxidative stress environment, numerous bioactive hydrogels with antioxidant properties have emerged and are proven to quickly and continuously eliminate excessive ROS. To deeply understand the design principles and applications of antioxidant hydrogels is highly beneficial for designing antioxidant hydrogels for treatment of oxidative disease. This review provides a detailed summary of recent advances in design and applications of antioxidant hydrogels for various ROS-induced oxidative diseases. In this review, the kinds of antioxidant components in antioxidant hydrogels are outlined in detail. Additionally, the crosslinking methods and the biomedical applications of antioxidant hydrogels are widely summarized and discussed, especially focusing on their usage in different types of diseases and the attention given to the treatment of diseases such as skin wounds, myocardial infarction, and osteoarthritis. Finally, the future development direction of antioxidant hydrogel is further proposed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Oxidative stress is a pivotal biochemical process that plays a critical role in cellular homeostasis. Excessive cellular oxidative stress triggers an inflammatory response, which is implicated in a spectrum of associated diseases. Given the critical need for managing oxidative stress, antioxidant therapies have become a vital focus in medical research. Hydrogels have garnered substantial interest among biomaterial scientists due to their hydrophilic nature and biocompatibility. The review delves into the realm of antioxidant hydrogels, encompassing the classification of antioxidant components, the synthesis and fabrication of hydrogels, and a comprehensive overview of the biological applications and challenges of these antioxidant hydrogels. Aiming to provide new perspectives for researchers in developing cutting-edge therapeutic approaches that leverage antioxidant hydrogels.