Thermosensitive hydrogel: an inventive carrier for drug delivery
Journal Title: International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Reserach - Year 2013, Vol 1, Issue 2
Abstract
Hydrogels are water-swollen polymeric materials able to maintain a distinct three dimensionalstructure. They were the first biomaterials designed for clinical use in the early 1950s, when Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lím initiated a research program aimed to the development of hydrogels for soft contact lenses. The fortunate use of hydrogels in ophthalmology, which translated, besides contact lenses, also in glaucoma micro capillary drains and fillings for the restoration of detached retina, was the driving force towards the exploration of many other biomedical applications. Indeed, hydrogels extended their use to coverings for perforated ear drums, implants for plastic surgery, drug delivery depots, etc. Amazingly, after 60 years, hydrogels are still inspiring the scientific community and progress in this field has moved forward at an impressive pace. Nowadays, novel synthetic methods for the design of gel-forming polymers and molecular biology have encompassed traditional chemical methods, resulting in self-assembling and environmentally sensitive hydrogels with controlled degradability and mechanical properties. Hydrogels have been applied, in addition to traditional areas, also to the delivery of biotechnologically derived drugs (proteins and peptides), tissue engineering, micro fluidics and nanotechnology. The success of hydrogels originates from their well known biocompatibility mainly due to their high water content and soft nature. These properties render hydrogels similar to biological tissues and consequently minimize cell adherence and inflammation once injected or implanted in the body. Furthermore, their water absorbing capacity facilitates the accommodation of cells or hydrophilic molecules such as protein and peptides within the polymeric network.
Authors and Affiliations
Rohit R. Bhosale, Riyaz Ali Osmani, Prasanna P. Ghodake, Sabir M. Shaikh, Sarika R. Chavan
Keywords
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