Open Access<p>Smart Hydrogels – Synthetic Stimuli-Responsive Antitumor Drug Release Systems</p>
Author(s) -
Adam Kasiński,
Monika Zielińska–Pisklak,
Ewa Olędzka,
Marcin Sobczak
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of nanomedicine
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.245
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1178-2013
pISSN - 1176-9114
DOI - 10.2147/ijn.s248987
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , drug delivery , materials science , drug , controlled release , biomedical engineering , nanotechnology , smart material , pharmacology , medicine , polymer chemistry
Among modern drug formulations, stimuli-responsive hydrogels also called "smart hydrogels" deserve a special attention. The basic feature of this system is the ability to change their mechanical properties, swelling ability, hydrophilicity, bioactive molecules permeability, etc., influenced by various stimuli, such as temperature, pH, electromagnetic radiation, magnetic field and biological factors. Therefore, stimuli-responsive matrices can be potentially used in tissue engineering, cell cultures and technology of innovative drug delivery systems (DDSs), releasing the active substances under the control of internal or external stimuli. Moreover, smart hydrogels can be used as injectable DDSs, due to gel-sol transition connected with in situ cross-linking process. Innovative smart hydrogel DDSs can be utilized as matrices for targeted therapy, which enhances the effectiveness of tumor chemotherapy and subsequently limits systemic toxicity. External stimulus sensitivity allows remote control over the drug release profile and gel formation. On the other hand, internal factors provide drg accumulation in tumor tissue and reduce the concentration of active drug form in healthy tissue. In this report, we summarise the basic knowledge and chemical strategies for the synthetic smart hydrogel DDSs applied in antitumor therapy.