Development of an Injectable Thermosensitive Chitosan-Based Hydrogel for Localized Rutin Delivery Optimized Using...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Rutin, a flavonoid, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties but suffers from poor solubility and bioavailability.
• Chitosan (CS)-based hydrogels offer a promising platform for localized drug delivery, improving drug retention and release at the target site.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, optimize, and evaluate an injectable chitosan-based hydrogel for the localized delivery of rutin.
• To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of rutin through improved delivery and bioavailability.

Main Methods:

• A Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was utilized for optimization, considering chitosan concentration, β-Glycerophosphate concentration, and stirring speed as critical parameters.
• Hydrogel characterization included gelation time, swelling ratio, rheological properties, and in vitro drug release studies.

Main Results:

• An optimized formulation (1.8% CS, 35% β-Gly, 460 rpm) yielded a hydrogel with a gelation time of 148 s and a swelling ratio of 134.45%.
• The optimized hydrogel demonstrated shear-thinning behavior suitable for injection and achieved approximately 86% cumulative rutin release over 24 hours.
• Drug release kinetics followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, indicating a combination of diffusion and polymer relaxation.

Conclusions:

• A Quality by Design (QbD) approach using BBD successfully optimized an injectable, thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel for localized rutin delivery.
• The developed hydrogel system possesses favorable physicochemical and rheological properties, along with controlled drug release, suggesting its potential for enhanced therapeutic applications of rutin.