Functional Hydrogels for Delivery of the Proteolytic Enzyme Serratiopeptidase

Abstract

Hydrogels are superior wound dressings because they can provide protection and hydration of the wound, as well as the controlled release of therapeutic substances to aid tissue regeneration and the healing process. Hydrogels obtained from natural precursors are preferred because of their low cost, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. We describe the synthesis of novel functional hydrogels based on two natural products—citric acid (CA) and pentane-1,2,5-triol (PT, a product from lignocellulose processing) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-600)—via an environment friendly approach. The hydrogels were prepared via monomer crosslinking through a polycondensation reaction at an elevated temperature in the absence of any solvent. The reagents were blended at three different compositions with molar ratios of hydroxyl (from PT and PEG) to carboxyl (from CA) groups of 1:1, 1:1.4, and 1.4:1, respectively. The effect of the composition on the physicomechanical properties of materials was investigated. All hydrogels exhibited pH-sensitive behavior, while the swelling degree and elastic modulus were dependent on the composition of the polymer network. The proteolytic enzyme serratiopeptidase (SER) was loaded into a hydrogel via physical absorption as a model drug. The release profile of SER and the effects of the enzyme on healthy skin cells were assessed. The results showed that the hydrogel carrier could provide the complete release of the loaded enzyme.

Natural and Synthetic Polymers for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

“…Hydrogels based on natural polymers have emerged as promising alternatives for the ECM in biomedical applications due to their unique integration of biodegradability, biocompatibility, mechanical property tunability, biomimicry, and responsiveness, which could provide microenvironments with the preservation of cellular functions, promotion of cell health, and encouragement of tissue formation [ 53 ].…”

“…Hydrogels based on natural polymers such as alginate, starch, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gelatin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, pectin, and so on show good degradability, biocompatibility, nontoxic degradation products, good flexibility similar to natural tissue, and have natural abundance, which endows them with widespread applications in medicinal fields, for instance, as drug carriers, wound dressing for wound healing, substrates for cell culture, cell delivery systems, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and so on (Figure 4) [15,16]. Hydrogels based on natural polymers have emerged as promising alternatives for the ECM in biomedical applications due to their unique integration of biodegradability, Hydrogels based on natural polymers have emerged as promising alternatives for the ECM in biomedical applications due to their unique integration of biodegradability, biocompatibility, mechanical property tunability, biomimicry, and responsiveness, which could provide microenvironments with the preservation of cellular functions, promotion of cell health, and encouragement of tissue formation [53].…”