Smart Polysaccharide Hydrogels in Drug Delivery and Release

Abstract

Smart hydrogels having extreme biocompatibility and drug loading ability are used in drug release (DR) applications under external stimuli like ultrasound (US). For the smart medicine hydrogels used in US-triggered DR, hydrogel matrix has functionalities like non-toxicity and biocompatibility. In addition, the DR behavior can be controlled by US exposure. It is known that in cancer chemotherapy, protein and gene delivery, and tissue regeneration, such smart hydrogel medicine plays a vital role as drug carriers and release. The hydrogels fabricated from polysaccharides like cellulose and chitin, which retain high content of water and medicine in the polymeric networks, exhibit excellent bio- and cyto-compatibilities and are mainly introduced for DR. It is also reviewed that, from such medicine hydrogels, external stimulant promotes accelerated DR by stimuli like temperature, pH, and enzymes. Especially, US-stimulated DR by cellulose and chitin hydrogels are reviewed as smart polysaccharide hydrogels.