Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2019, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (34): 5508-5515.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.1956

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress of smart responsive hydrogel as a drug delivery system

Cui Yutao, Liu He, Ji Xuan, Leng Yi, Ren Zhenxiao, Li Zuhao, Wu Dankai
  

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, Jilin Province, China
  • Received:2019-06-21 Online:2019-12-08 Published:2019-12-08
  • Contact: Wu Dankai, Chief physician, Professor, Master’s supervisor, Department of Orthopedics, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, Jilin Province, China
  • About author:Cui Yutao, Master candidate, Department of Orthopedics, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, Jilin Province, China
  • Supported by:

    the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81671804, 81772456 (to LH)

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Hydrogels play an important role in sustained release and targeted delivery of drugs. Because of the large variations in physiological conditions between normal microenvironment and diseased sites, normal hydrogels may not achieve the desired goals in a complex pathological microenvironment. Therefore, polymeric materials with environmentally responsive functions are highly desirable for drug delivery.
OBJECTIVE: We will introduce recent studies on stimuli-responsive hydrogels, describe the strategies of hydrogel synthesis and their application in drug delivery, and finally discuss the current research focus and future trends.
METHODS: A computer-based online search of PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Wanfang and CNKI databases with the search terms “responsive hydrogel, temperature-responsive hydrogel, pH-responsive hydrogel hydrogel, drug delivery” for relevant papers published from 2007 to 2019.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Initially, 352 papers were retrieved, and finally 62 of them were selected for further analysis. Environment-responsive intelligent hydrogels can be designed according to microenvironment changes such as temperature rising, pH value decreasing, overexpression of specific enzymes, and aggregation of redox agents. Changes in environment can reduce hydrogen bonds, increase charge repulsion, break chemical bonds, and other physical and chemical properties, thus causing hydrogel to shrink, swell, or degrade. After therapeutic drugs are loaded on the intelligent hydrogel, the environment-responsive changes in physical and chemical properties of the intelligent hydrogel can promote the release of drugs, thus treating local diseases and improving the imbalance of microenvironment. This local drug release therapy provides a new treatment method for various diseases such as tumors, skin diseases and bone defects.

Key words: responsive hydrogels, temperature-sensitive hydrogels, PH-responsive hydrogels, enzyme-responsive hydrogels, smart materials, tumors, drug delivery, targeted therapy, microenvironment, review

CLC Number: