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An Injectable and Drug-loaded Supramolecular Hydrogel for Local Catheter Injection into the Pig Heart
Published on: June 7, 2015
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Ultra-sensitive pH responsive hydrogels with injectable and self-healing performance for controlled drug delivery
Yang Yu1,2, Yili Zhao2, Yujiao Zou2
1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325015, China.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X
|September 10, 2025
Summary
A novel pH-responsive hydrogel was developed for cancer therapy. This drug delivery system shows ultra-sensitive release of Doxorubicin in tumor microenvironments, enhancing chemotherapy effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Developing pH-responsive hydrogels is crucial for targeted cancer therapy.
- Tumor microenvironments exhibit slightly acidic pH, ideal for targeted drug release.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize an ultra-sensitive pH-responsive hydrogel for Doxorubicin delivery.
- To evaluate the hydrogel's performance in a simulated tumor microenvironment.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized 4-Formylbenzoic acid modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-FBA) and crosslinked with polyethylenimine (PEI) to form Doxorubicin-loaded PVA-FBA/PEI hydrogel (D-PFP).
- Characterized hydrogel properties, including structural stability, morphology, and drug release kinetics at different pH values (7.4 and 6.8).
- Assessed injectability, self-healing properties, cytocompatibility, and anticancer activity.
Main Results:
- Optimal hydrogel preparation conditions were identified using PF-0.25 polymer and specific precursor/PEI concentrations.
- The D-PFP hydrogel demonstrated minimal drug leakage at pH 7.4 and significantly higher release at pH 6.8, indicating high pH sensitivity.
- The hydrogel exhibited good structural integrity, injectability, self-healing capabilities, excellent cytocompatibility, and potent cancer cell inhibition.
Conclusions:
- The developed D-PFP hydrogel is an ultra-sensitive, pH-responsive drug delivery system.
- Its properties make it a promising candidate for targeted chemotherapy applications in cancer treatment.
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