Jul 2026· Journal of Polymers and the Environment· Vol 34· 0 citations· 46 references
TL;DR
Findings suggest that CUR–ALV-loaded KC–EA hydrogels represent a promising pH-responsive, antioxidant-active system for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.
Abstract
Regeneration of impaired tissues requires advanced biomaterials that integrate mechanical integrity with antioxidant functionality and biocompatibility. In this study, we fabricated a bioactive κ-carrageenan–egg albumin (KC–EA) hydrogel incorporating a curcumin–Aloe vera (CUR–ALV) composite via ionotropic gelation. Incorporation of the CUR–ALV composite enhanced both structural and functional properties of the hydrogel, as characterized through mechanical testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and swelling analyses. The composite-loaded hydrogel exhibited enhanced mechanical performance relative to the KC–EA hydrogel, while SEM analysis revealed increased surface roughness and heterogeneous microdomains suggesting successful composite incorporation. The hydrogel exhibited pH-responsive curcumin release, reaching a maximum cumulative release of approximately 80% at pH 8.5, with kinetic modeling suggesting erosion-influenced release under alkaline conditions. The system demonstrated high hydrophilicity and controlled biodegradation under physiological conditions. Antioxidant assessment by the DPPH assay showed substantially enhanced radical scavenging activity (~ 67%), likely reflecting the synergistic contribution of curcumin and Aloe vera constituents. In vitro cytocompatibility assessed by the MTT assay suggested high cell viability comparable to tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) over seven days, suggesting cytocompatibility and sustained cellular proliferation. Overall, these findings suggest that CUR–ALV-loaded KC–EA hydrogels represent a promising pH-responsive, antioxidant-active system for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.
Stable hydrogel formation with favorable porous architecture, swelling behavior, thermal stability, and homogeneous distribution of nanovesicles was well established and exhibited excellent biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and enhanced cell-material interactions.
Rizos Evangelos Bikiaris, Ioanna Koumentakou, A. Niti et al.· ACS Applied Bio Materials· 0 citations
Thermoresponsive biopolymer hydrogels offer a versatile platform for localized delivery of bioactive compounds; however, their performance is often limited by the competing requirements of network integrity, mechanical compliance, and stimulus-regulated release. Herein, thermosensitive chitosan/β-glycerophosphate/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/GP/PVA) hybrid hydrogels were optimized for the delivery of anti-inflammatory betel leaf extract (BLE) under in vitro conditions simulating an acute inflammatory microenvironment (pH 6.5 and 39 °C). Non-optimized hydrogels previously released only 61% of the loaded BLE, with negligible lysozyme-triggered release attributed to dense chitosan cross-linking that constrained enzyme-accessible transport pathways. Response surface methodology was applied to balance cumulative BLE release and elastic modulus. The optimized formulation (0.88% CS, 4.76% GP, 0.5% PVA, and 4000 µg mL-1 BLE) achieved a cumulative BLE release of 73.41%, corresponding to a 20% relative increase over the non-optimized hybrid hydrogel, and an elastic modulus of 1.54 kPa. The optimized hydrogel also displayed pronounced microenvironment-responsive release, including an eightfold higher BLE release at pH 6.5 than at pH 8.0 and lysozyme-triggered release within 24 hours, indicating that it restored pH- and enzyme-regulated transport. In cell-free assays, the hydrogel extract inhibited hyaluronidase activity, scavenged DPPH radicals, and suppressed Staphylococcus aureus growth. The hydrogel was cytocompatible and significantly suppressed nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, confirming that anti-inflammatory activity is retained in a cellular model. These findings establish the optimized hybrid hydrogel as a bio-functional, thermo-responsive network capable of coupling elasticity with bioactive extract release behavior, offering a promising candidate towards localized anti-inflammatory therapy.
N. H. N. Do, Mai Thi Hoang Nguyen, Anh C. Ha· Soft Matter· 0 citations
Polyacrylic acid-based composites hold substantial promise for intelligent wound dressing applications, owing to their intrinsic hydrophilicity and pH responsiveness. Nevertheless, their clinical translation is hindered by insufficient mechanical properties and excessive adhesion, which are directly induced by high hydrophilicity. Herein, a dual-network Janus hydrogel based on polyacrylic acid (PAA) and sodium alginate (SA), denoted as tannic acid-iron nanoparticles@polyacrylic acid/sodium alginate (TA-Fe NPs@PS Janus), was rationally fabricated. This hydrogel incorporates self-assembled TA-Fe nanoparticles (TA-Fe NPs) with inherent antibacterial activity and magnetic responsiveness. Magnetic enrichment of nanoparticles at the bottom side of the hydrogel not only significantly enhances mechanical toughness via metal-phenolic network (MPN) but also renders the top and bottom layers with distinct intelligent responses to heterogeneous pH microenvironments, thus enabling effective antibiotic-free treatment of infected wounds. TA-Fe NPs@PS Janus integrates high mechanical toughness, sensing performance, and pH responsiveness, enabling monitoring of wound microenvironmental changes through combined responses to pH and ionic variations throughout the recovery process. The physicochemical, mechanical, and rheological properties of the hydrogel were systematically characterized, and in vitro antibacterial assessments were conducted. Results demonstrate that TA-Fe NPs significantly enhance hydrogel toughness: compared with the pristine PAA/SA hydrogel (PS), the composite hydrogel incorporating 0.3% (w/v) TA-Fe NPs exhibits a 1200% increase in tensile toughness (from 0.06 MJ m⁻³ to 0.78 MJ m⁻³). The hydrogel displays high sensitivity and undergoes reversible deformation and intelligent responsive behavior under cyclic pH changes. It not only exhibits high antibacterial efficacy but also demonstrates favorable cytocompatibility. Therefore, this study proposes a smart, stimuli-responsive multifunctional hydrogel dressing for treating chronic wound inflammation and monitoring the healing process, highlighting its potential for clinical applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Chronic infected wounds severely threaten human health, yet clinically viable smart wound dressings are lacking. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogels are attractive for wound management but suffer from poor mechanical toughness and over-adhesion. We fabricate a dual-network Janus hydrogel (TA-Fe NPs@PS Janus) incorporating PAA, sodium alginate and tannic acid-iron nanoparticles. Magnetically concentrated TA-Fe NPs form metal-phenolic networks, boosting toughness by 1044.2% and creating asymmetric pH responsiveness. This cytocompatible hydrogel achieves antibiotic-free antibacterial function and real-time infection monitoring via pH changes. It overcomes key drawbacks of PAA hydrogels, integrates diagnosis and therapy, and offers a translatable strategy for intelligent chronic wound dressings.
Qing-Che Pan, Xin-Wei Tao, Jianliang Li et al.· Acta Biomaterialia· 0 citations
Curcumin is a bioactive compound with significant therapeutic potential, yet its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low gastrointestinal bioavailability. In this study, a fully polysaccharide-based delivery system was rationally designed using alginate and ι-carrageenan as complementary polyanionic matrices, combined with chitosan microparticles (~1.7 μm) as discrete cationic domains. Hierarchical beads were formed via ionotropic crosslinking with Ca2+ and structurally characterized by spectroscopic, morphological, and interfacial analyses, revealing a compositionally heterogeneous architecture with chitosan microparticles preferentially localized near the bead periphery. This organization directly influenced the system's physicochemical behavior, leading to limited curcumin release under simulated gastric conditions (<20%) and pronounced swelling in simulated intestinal fluid, reaching up to 4755% at 37 °C. In intestinal medium, the beads exhibited a sustained and complete release profile within ~30 h, governed by combined diffusion and polymer relaxation mechanisms. Kinetic modeling confirmed a transition from predominantly Fickian diffusion in acidic conditions to anomalous transport in intestinal environments. These findings demonstrate that hierarchical organization and electrostatic interactions can be strategically engineered to modulate structure-property relationships in multicomponent polysaccharide systems. This work provides insights into the rational design of fully biopolymeric platforms for the controlled oral delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds.
Luiza G. Schlüter, H. C. Grahl, L. N. Carli et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Results highlight the critical interplay between macromolecular composition, 3D microenvironment, and cell response, demonstrating that GelMA+TA systems represent a promising preliminary platform for the development of tunable bioactive scaffolds for wound-related applications.
Leonor Resina, M. M. Pérez‐Madrigal, Carlos Alemán· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
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