Advanced Biomaterial for Dual-Drug Release: A Hydrogel-Microparticle Approach.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Wound Healing Technologies

Background:

• Advanced biomaterials offer promising strategies for enhanced wound treatment outcomes.
• Dual drug delivery systems can simultaneously address infection and pain in wound care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a dual-drug delivery system combining antimicrobial and analgesic actions for wound treatment.
• To create a composite hydrogel and microparticle platform for simultaneous controlled release of an antibiotic and a local anesthetic.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of alginate microparticles containing gentamicin, incorporated into a gellan gum/collagen hydrogel loaded with bupivacaine.
• Comprehensive characterization of the composite's morphological, physicochemical, mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties.
• Evaluation of simultaneous drug release profiles and kinetics.

Main Results:

• The microparticle-hydrogel composite demonstrated significant influence on structural and functional properties, especially at 50% w/v microparticle concentration.
• Microparticles were crucial for maintaining hydrogel integrity and enabling controlled, simultaneous release of both gentamicin and bupivacaine.
• Distinct release kinetics were observed for each drug, indicating tailored release profiles.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogel and microparticle composite shows potential as an advanced wound dressing material.
• This system facilitates simultaneous localized pain relief and promotes wound healing through dual drug delivery.
• The findings support the efficacy of combined hydrogel and microparticle approaches for sophisticated wound management strategies.