Abstract

A REVIEW ON NOVEL APPROACH OF DRUG DELIVERY – HYDROGELS

Sareena Jawad*

Abstract

Hydrogels are a unique class of three dimensional cross-linked polymeric networks that can hold a large fraction of aqueous solvents and biological fluids within their structures. Nowadays, hydrogels have attracted a growing interest of many scientists in different fields of research. Intelligent hydrogels have found a significant role in a wide variety of applications such as drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, optics, diagnostics and imaging. Several techniques have been reported for the synthesis of hydrogels like co polymerization/crosslinking of co-monomers using multifunctional comonomer, which acts as crosslinking agent. Some applications are used of hydrogels in human body. Some environmental variables, such as low pH and elevated temperatures, are found in the body. For this reason, either pHsensitive and/or temperature sensitive hydrogels can be used for site-specific controlled drug delivery. Hydrogels that are responsive to specific molecules, such as glucose or antigens, can be used as biosensors as well as drug delivery systems. New synthetic methods have been used to prepare homo- and co-polymeric hydrogels for a wide range of drugs, peptides, and protein delivery applications. The marketed products of hydrogels are: Hydroheal gel, Hyaluheal, Hydrogel eye patch, hydrogel face mask and hydrogel sun block etc. The advantage of applying hydrogels in cosmeceuticals is not only to moisturize the skin, and for boosting cellular function but also as a novel sunscreen product based on gel systems that can help prevent skin penetration behaviour of the UV filters. The purpose of this article is to present a brief review on the basis concept of hydrogels, the description about classification, synthesis methods, stimulation situations, relevant mechanisms, and applications.

Keywords: Hydrogels, crosslinking agents, sensitive hydrogels, co-polymeric hydrogels.