One-Step Synthesis of Biodegradable Curcumin-Derived Hydrogels as Potential Soft Tissue Fillers after Breast Cancer Surgery

Abstract

A one-step synthesis of a curcumin-derived hydrogel (curcumin content of 25-75 mol %) is reported. Curcumin is incorporated into the hydrogel backbone and cross-linked through biodegradable carbonate linkages. Curcumin as a part of the polymer backbone is protected from oxidation and degradation, while hydrogel hydrolysis results in the release of active curcumin. Nontoxic poly(ethylene glycol) and desaminotyrosyl-tyrosine ethyl ester are used to tune the hydrophilic/hydrophobic hydrogel properties. In this way, hydrogels with a wide range of physical properties including water-uptake (100-550%) and compression moduli (7-100 kPa) were obtained. Curcumin release is swelling-controlled and could be extended to 80 days. In vitro, curcumin-derived hydrogels showed selective cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 (IC(50) 9 μM) breast cancer cells but no cytotoxicity to noncancerous quiescent human dermal fibroblasts even at high curcumin concentrations (160 μM). One possible application of these curcumin-derived hydrogels is as soft tissue filler after surgical removal of cancerous tissue.

New biobased non-ionic hyperbranched polymers as environmentally friendly antibacterial additives for biopolymers

“…An example of this kind of polymer dates back to 1965, when Cornell and Donaruma reported the enhanced antibacterial effect of tropolone-containing polymers. 27 More examples include aspirin-based non-ionic polyesters, 28,29 curcumin-derived biopolymers, 30,31 limonene-based polycarbonates, 32 and astaxanthin-based polymers. 33 Today, all the reported polymers with natural antibacterial functionalities have linear structures, with the functionalities being incorporated in the backbone or on the pendant groups of polymers.…”

Spermidine-Cross-linked Hydrogels as Novel Potential Platforms for Pharmaceutical Applications

“…From then on, the interest arisen by this type of materials has highly increased1–8 and nowadays new biomaterials continue being discovered, designed, and created 9–11. An important position among biomaterials is occupied by hydrogels, which are three‐dimensional networks formed by highly hydrophilic polymers able to imbibe great amounts of aqueous fluids 12,13. Generally, they possess a series of unique properties, such as their favorable mechanical, interfacial properties, mass transfer capability, flexibility, porosity, and high water content, all of them making hydrogels very similar to living tissues 14–16.…”

A genetically engineered thermally responsive sustained release curcumin depot to treat neuroinflammation

“…Other local delivery strategies for curcumin have been developed and studied in vitro, including a curcumin-eluting stent [89], self-assembling peptide hydrogels [63], and incorporation into a hydrogel polymer backbone via degradable carbonate bonds [66]. When curcumin is entrapped rather than conjugated, higher drug loading can be achieved, which may assist with efficacy for applications such as tumor-killing [63].…”

“…When curcumin is entrapped rather than conjugated, higher drug loading can be achieved, which may assist with efficacy for applications such as tumor-killing [63]. Incorporation of curcumin into the backbone of PEG-based hydrogels via carbonate bonds led to near zero-order in vitro release kinetics over 80 days, and released curcumin demonstrated cytotoxicity against multiple cancerous cell types [66]. Curcumin could be loaded at high concentrations, while still allowing the hydrogel systems to swell and imbibe water, making these gels a good candidate for local delivery as a soft tissue filler following tumor resection.…”

“…nanocurcumin” [54, 55]), liposomes [56], micellar di-block copolymers [57-59], PLGA microspheres [60, 61], phosphatidylcholine-based phytosomes (Meriva®, Indena S.p.A., Milan, Italy) [62], and self-assembling peptide hydrogels [63]. Curcumin has also been chemically conjugated to drug carriers like poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) [64], poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers [65], and incorporated into the polymer backbone of a hydrogel system via degradable carbonate bonds [66]. …”