1 research outputs found
Self-Assembly of Partially Alkylated Dextran-<i>graft</i>-poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] Copolymer Facilitating Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Drug Delivery and Improving Conetwork Hydrogel Properties
Key
issues of injectable hydrogels are incapability of loading
hydrophobic drugs due to insolubility of drugs in aqueous prepolymer
solution as well as in hydrogel matrix, and high water swelling, which
leads to poor mechanical and bioadhesive properties. Herein, we report
that self-assembly of partially long-chain alkylated dextran-<i>graft</i>-poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] copolymer
in aqueous solution could encapsulate pyrene, a hydrophobic probe,
griseofulvin, a hydrophobic antifungal drug, and ornidazole, a hydrophilic
antibiotic. Addition of activated chloride terminated poly(ethylene
glycol) (PEG) into the guest molecules loaded copolymer solution produced
an injectable dextran-<i>graft</i>-poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl
methacrylate]-linked-PEG conetwork hydrogel. The alkylated hydrogels
exhibited zero order release kinetics and were mechanically tough
(50–54 kPa storage modulus) and bioadhesive (8–9 kPa).
The roles of alkyl chains and dextran on the drug loading-release
behavior, degradation behavior, gelation time, and the mechanical
property of the hydrogels have been studied in details. Additionally,
DNA hybrid composite hydrogel was formed owing to the cationic nature
of the prepolymer solution and the hydrogel. Controlled alkylation
of a prepolymer thus highlights the potential to induce and enhance
the hydrogel property