Graphene-Based Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Abstract: Graphene is a remarkable substance that has revolutionized numerous disciplines, including electronics, materials science, condensed physics, quantum physics, energy systems, and many more. Its physical and chemical properties have been the subject of a great deal of research since its 2004 discovery. Because of its unique properties, it has swiftly become a contender worth investigating for biomedical uses by nano-bio researchers. Studies on graphene and related materials have attracted a great deal of interest from the biomedical community in the last decade, with a focus on their potential applications in cancer treatment, smart drug delivery, and gene therapy. Graphene oxide (GO) has many desirable properties, including a high adsorption capacity, a big surface area, biocompatibility, and colloidal stability. To get around the problems with traditional treatment methods, researchers have been working on new drug delivery systems that include biocompatible polymers as nanocomposite carriers, a three- -dimensional (3D) hydrogel network, and controlled medication release. In this review, we compiled the latest findings from graphene's biomedical uses, took a look at the latest innovations in graphene-based hydrogels for medication delivery, and offered some exciting predictions for the future of this material's function in this field.