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Generation of Alginate Microspheres for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 12, 2012
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Modified alginates for precision drug delivery: Advances in controlled-release and targeting systems
Sara Masoumi Shahrbabak1, Seyede Melika Jalali2, Maryam Fadaei Fathabadi2
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X
|September 11, 2025
Summary
Modified alginates offer advanced targeted and controlled drug release systems. These versatile biomaterials show promise in precision medicine but require further research into scalability and biocompatibility.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Alginates are versatile polysaccharides with inherent biocompatibility.
- Traditional alginate applications are limited by uncontrolled drug release kinetics.
- Recent advancements focus on modifying alginates for enhanced drug delivery performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review alginate chemistry and structural modifications for drug delivery.
- To explore how these modifications enhance drug release mechanisms.
- To discuss the application of modified alginates in targeted delivery systems for precision medicine.
Main Methods:
- Review of alginate chemical modifications: ionic crosslinking, cyclodextrin-linking, esterification, amidation, sulfation.
- Analysis of enhanced drug release mechanisms: dissolution, diffusion, water penetration, ion exchange.
- Examination of alginate-based platforms: hydrogels, bioprinting, nanofibers, in-situ gelling, nanoparticles.
Main Results:
- Various alginate modifications significantly improve drug release control and targeting efficiency.
- Modified alginates are successfully integrated into diverse delivery systems like hydrogels and nanoparticles.
- Targeted delivery applications span cancer therapy, inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and wound healing.
Conclusions:
- Modified alginates represent a promising platform for advanced targeted and controlled drug delivery.
- Alginate-based systems offer significant potential for precision medicine applications.
- Scalability and biocompatibility challenges need to be addressed for widespread clinical translation.
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