Stimuli-Responsive Polypyrrole Hydrogel Integrated into a Mg Battery for Controlled Drug Release

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Stimulus-responsive systems offer precise drug release, but electro-assisted transdermal methods are underdeveloped.
• A research gap exists in integrating electro-assisted drug delivery into transdermal platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-powered, controllable transdermal drug delivery platform.
• To utilize a conductive hydrogel as a cathode in a magnesium battery for drug delivery.
• To integrate motion sensing capabilities into the drug delivery system.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a conductive gelatin methacryloyl-polyacrylamide-polypyrrole (GPP) hydrogel via UV cross-linking and in situ polymerization.
• Fabricated a magnesium-GPP battery for self-powered drug delivery.
• Evaluated hydrogel properties, including mechanical strength, electrochemical performance, cytocompatibility, and strain sensing.
• Investigated electrically controlled drug release profiles.

Main Results:

• The GPP hydrogel exhibited a porous structure, high mechanical strength (234% strain), stable electrochemistry, and good cytocompatibility.
• The hydrogel functioned as a sensitive strain sensor (gauge factor: 1.14).
• Drug release was precisely controlled by electrical stimulation, increasing from 0.2 mg/g to 1.6 mg/g within 180 min.
• The integrated Mg-GPP battery enhanced drug delivery 5-fold compared to passive diffusion.

Conclusions:

• The developed self-powered hydrogel platform enables precise, electrically controlled transdermal drug delivery.
• The system integrates drug delivery with motion sensing, offering a novel approach for personalized therapy.
• This technology represents a promising strategy for advanced transdermal therapeutic applications.