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Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
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Hydrogel-Based Delivery Systems for Non-Opioid Analgesics: Advances, Challenges, and Clinical Prospects
Kyung Kwan Lee1, Wonwoo Jeong2, Minsuk Chae2,3
1Department of Bio-Chemical Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|November 13, 2025
Summary
Hydrogel drug delivery systems offer a promising solution for non-opioid analgesics, enhancing pain management by enabling controlled release. These advanced hydrogels improve efficacy and reduce side effects, paving the way for safer alternatives.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Pharmacology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- The opioid crisis necessitates safer pain management alternatives.
- Non-opioid analgesics face challenges like rapid clearance and systemic toxicity.
- Hydrogel drug delivery systems offer a novel approach to overcome these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review hydrogel-based systems for non-opioid analgesics.
- To explore hydrogel technologies for improved drug delivery, efficacy, and safety.
- To address challenges and future directions for clinical translation.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of hydrogel technologies and non-opioid analgesic integration.
- Exploration of encapsulation strategies and drug release mechanisms.
- Analysis of emerging clinical data and challenges.
Main Results:
- Hydrogels enable controlled, localized, and sustained release of non-opioid analgesics.
- Advanced hydrogels (stimulus-responsive, self-healing, nanocomposite) enhance biomedical applications.
- Hydrogel systems show potential to improve therapeutic efficacy and minimize systemic toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogel platforms hold transformative potential for non-opioid analgesic delivery.
- Overcoming challenges in biocompatibility, durability, and scalability is crucial for clinical translation.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for advancing hydrogel-based pain management therapies.
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