Dual release kinetics in a single dosage from core–shell hydrogel scaffolds

Abstract

The development of drug delivery systems with microencapsulated therapeutic agents is a promising approach to the sustained and controlled delivery of various drug molecules. The incorporation of dual release kinetics to such delivery devices further adds to their applicability. Herein, novel core-shell scaffolds composed of sodium deoxycholate and trishydroxymethylaminomethane (NaDC-Tris) have been developed with the aim of delivering two different drugs with variable release rates using the same delivery vehicle. Data obtained from XRD studies, sol-gel transition temperature measurement, rheology and fluorescence studies of the core-shell systems indicate a significant alteration in the core and the shell microstructural properties in a given system as compared to the pure hydrogels of identical compositions. The release of the model drugs Fluorescein (FL) and Rhodamine B (RhB) from the shell and the core, respectively, of the two core-shell designs studied exhibited distinctly different release kinetics. In the 25@250 core-shell system, 100% release of FL from the shell and 19% release of RhB from the core was observed within the first 5 hours, while 24.5 hours was required for the complete release of RhB from the core. For the 100@250 system, similar behaviour was observed with varied release rates and a sigmoidal increase in the core release rate upon disappearance from the shell. Cell viability studies suggested the minimal toxicity of the developed delivery vehicles towards NMuMG and WI-38 cells in the concentration range investigated. The reported core-shell systems composed of a single low molecular weight gelator with dual release kinetics may be designed as per the desired application for the consecutive release of therapeutic agents as required, as well as combination therapy commonly used to treat diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Modified Low Molecular Weight Pure and Engineered Gels: A Review of Strategies towards Their Development

“…demonstrated the design of sodium deoxycholate based core‐shell hydrogel scaffolds that revealed dual release kinetics for the drugs encapsulated in the core and the shell. The shell demonstrated a relatively faster release of drug in comparison to the core which suggested the applicability of such delivery vehicles in the treatment of cancer and diabetes [2] . The release rates could be varied by varying the concentration of gel modifier in core and the shell suggesting the applicability of such gels as per the desired treatment.…”

“…These molecules were capable of gelation and have demonstrated balanced hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions [130–131] . Over the past few decades, the researchers have shown a great interest for the development of bile salts and bile salt derivative‐based hydrogels as they are biocompatible, thermally reversible, biodegradable and thus useful in the field of pharmaceutical applications such as drug delivery [2] …”

“…Core-shell: Core-shell sodium deoxycholate gels exhibit Non-Newtonian shear thinning upon application of shear stress. [2] Double-Network: A poly(N,N'-dimethyacrylamide) based double network hydrogel exhibit remarkably high strength and toughness. [153] Nanocomposite Gels: GO embedded NaDC gels shows high mechanical strength with increase in viscosity upon application of stress.…”

“…[8] In order to address this issue, in recent years various structural and architectural modifications have been performed in the low molecular weight gelators in order to improve their mechanical properties, shelf-life as well as stability and thus widen their applications. [2] The present review puts forward a detailed survey of the developments reported in the field of low molecular weight gelators based on urea, amino acids, and peptides, LMW saccharides, nucleobases and bile acids in recent years (Scheme 1). Herein, we also report the review of advances made in the field of engineered hydrogels involving low molecular weight gelators.…”

Design and characterization of dual drug delivery based on in-situ assembled PVA/PAN core-shell nanofibers for wound dressing application

“…Different kind of nanofibers, such as core-shell nanofibers for drug delivery applications, have been employed as an effective and innovative architecture 4–6 . In the last years, dual drug delivery systems based on water-soluble and organic solvent-soluble drugs remaining the challenges when specific target required multiple medications 7–9 . Among the advanced methods, appropriate drug delivery systems have been designed based on co-axial or core-shell electrospun nanofibers 10,11 .…”