Self-healable, stimuli-responsive bio-ionic liquid and sodium alginate conjugated hydrogel with tunable Injectability and mechanical properties for the treatment of breast cancer.

Designing stimuli-responsive drug delivery vehicles with higher drug loading capacity, sustained and targeted release of anti-cancer drugs and able to mitigate the shortcomings of traditional systems is need of hour. Herein, we designed stimuli-responsive, self-healable, and adhesive hydrogel through synergetic interaction between [Cho][Gly] (Choline-Glycine) and sodium alginate (SA). The hydrogel was formed as a result of non-covalent interaction between the components of the mixture forming the fibre kind morphology; confirmed through FTIR/computational analysis and SEM/AFM images.

A bio-ionic liquid based self-healable and adhesive ionic hydrogel for the on-demand transdermal delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug.

The non-invasive nature and potential for sustained release make transdermal drug administration an appealing treatment option for cancer therapy. However, the strong barrier of the stratum corneum (SC) poses a challenge for the penetration of hydrophilic chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Due to its biocompatibility and capacity to increase drug solubility and permeability, especially when paired with chemical enhancers, such as oleic acid (OA), which is used in this work, choline glycinate ([Cho][Gly]) has emerged as a potential substance for transdermal drug delivery.

Multifunctional Ionic Hydrogel-Based Transdermal Delivery of 5-Fluorouracil for the Breast Cancer Treatment.

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) are a promising and innovative approach for breast cancer treatment, offering advantages such as noninvasiveness, potential for localized and prolonged drug delivery while minimizing systemic side effects through avoiding first-pass metabolism. Utilizing the distinctive characteristics of hydrogels, such as their biocompatibility, versatility, and higher drug loading capabilities, in the present work, we prepared ionic hydrogels through synergistic interaction between ionic liquids (ILs), choline alanine ([Cho][Ala]), and choline proline ([Cho][Pro]) with oleic acid (OA). ILs used in the study are biocompatible and enhance the solubility of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), whereas OA is a known chemical penetration enhancer.