Bae, K. H., Ng, S., Li, L., & Kurisawa, M. (2023). Retarded release of small-molecule drugs from phase-separated dextran hydrogels through host-guest complexation. Biofunctional Materials. https://doi.org/10.55092/bm20230002
Abstract:
Hydrogels have emerged as promising materials for diverse applications in
biomedicine and biotechnology, but their use as a drug carrier has been limited by the
difficulty of achieving controlled drug release. Herein we report the development of phaseseparated
dextran hydrogels with 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-β-cyclodextrin (4-arm PEG-
βCD) microdomains for prolonged release of small-molecule drugs. These hydrogels are
designed to enhance the partition of drug molecules in the PEG microdomains through
host-guest complexation, leading to delayed drug diffusion through the dextran gel matrix.
Three different drugs (β-lapachone, imiquimod and oxaliplatin) were used to investigate the
effect of 4-arm PEG-βCD on their partitioning behavior. The mechanical property and
microdomain structure of the hydrogels were characterized by oscillatory rheology
measurements and confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. Interestingly, we
observed non-Fickian diffusion phenomena of β-lapachone and imiquimod from the phaseseparated
hydrogels, suggesting the potential applicability of host-guest interactions for the
design of sustained drug release systems.
License type:
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research is supported by core funding from: Biomedical Research Council
Grant Reference no. : NIL