pH-Responsive Super-Porous Hybrid Hydrogels for Gastroretentive Controlled-Release Drug Delivery.

Super-porous hydrogels are considered a potential drug delivery network for the sedation of gastric mechanisms with retention windows in the abdomen and upper part of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In this study, a novel pH-responsive super-porous hybrid hydrogels (SPHHs) was synthesized from pectin, poly 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2HEMA), and N, N methylene-bis-acrylamide (BIS) via the gas-blowing technique, and then loaded with a selected drug (amoxicillin trihydrate, AT) at pH 5 via an aqueous loading method. The drug-loaded SPHHs-AT carrier demonstrated outstanding (in vitro) gastroretentive drug delivery capability. The study attributed excellent swelling and delayed drug release to acidic conditions at pH 1.2. Moreover, in vitro controlled-release drug delivery systems at different pH values, namely, 1.2 (97.99%) and 7.4 (88%), were studied. These exceptional features of SPHHs-improved elasticity, pH responsivity, and high swelling performance-should be investigated for broader drug delivery applications in the future.

Advances in local and systemic drug delivery systems for post-surgical cancer treatment.

Surgery is considered to be the favored approach for the treatment of most solid tumor malignancies. The quality of life among cancer patients has significantly improved due to advancements in instrumentation and surgical techniques; however, the recurrence of tumors and metastasis after operation remains challenging and results in a decreased quality of life and an increase in the mortality rate. Therefore, there is a need to explore applicable approaches to eradicate the circulating tumor cells and any residual tumor at the surgical site to inhibit the recurrence of the tumor and reduce the threat of distant metastasis. Recently drug delivery systems have been used to deliver immunotherapy or chemotherapy agents, which could augment the efficacy of surgical resection. In this review, we have summarized the efficacy and the recent progress of controlled drug delivery systems based approaches for post-surgical cancer treatment. Clinical translation challenges and opportunities have also been discussed.