Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Based Thermoresponsive Composite Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-based thermosensitive hydrogels demonstrate great potential in biomedical applications. However, they have inherent drawbacks such as low mechanical strength, limited drug loading capacity and low biodegradability. Formulating PNIPAM with other functional components to form composited hydrogels is an effective strategy to make up for these deficiencies, which can greatly benefit their practical applications. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive observation about the PNIPAM-based composite hydrogels for biomedical applications so as to guide related research. It covers the general principles from the materials choice to the hybridization strategies as well as the performance improvement by focusing on several application areas including drug delivery, tissue engineering and wound dressing. The most effective strategies include incorporation of functional inorganic nanoparticles or self-assembled structures to give composite hydrogels and linking PNIPAM with other polymer blocks of unique properties to produce copolymeric hydrogels, which can improve the properties of the hydrogels by enhancing the mechanical strength, giving higher biocompatibility and biodegradability, introducing multi-stimuli responsibility, enabling higher drug loading capacity as well as controlled release. These aspects will be of great help for promoting the development of PNIPAM-based composite materials for biomedical applications.

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Exploring the drug loading mechanism of photoresponsive inorganic nanocarriers through molecular dynamics simulations

Nanoscale ◽

10.1039/d1nr01972d ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stefano Motta ◽

Paulo Siani ◽

Andrea Levy ◽

Cristiana Di Valentin

Keyword(s):

Molecular Dynamics ◽

Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽

Combine Therapy ◽

Drug Loading ◽

Drug Carriers ◽

Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽

Loading Capacity ◽

Physical Stimuli ◽

Dynamics Simulations

Inorganic nanoparticles are gaining increasing attention as drug carriers because they respond to external physical stimuli, allowing to combine therapy with diagnosis. Their drawback is a low drug loading capacity,...

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Sustained Local Delivery of Diclofenac from Three-Dimensional Ultrafine Fibrous Protein Scaffolds with Ultrahigh Drug Loading Capacity

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano9070918 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 918

Author(s):

S. M. Kamrul Hasan ◽

Ran Li ◽

Yichao Wang ◽

Narendra Reddy ◽

Wanshuang Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Loading ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Burst Release ◽

Loading Capacity ◽

Fibrous Scaffolds ◽

Fibrous Protein ◽

Loading Methods ◽

Functional Components

The three-dimensional (3D) ultrafine fibrous scaffolds loaded with functional components can not only provide support to 3D tissue repair, but also deliver the components in-situ with small dosage and low fusion frequency. However, the conventional loading methods possess drawbacks such as low loading capacity or high burst release. In this research, an ultralow concentration phase separation (ULCPS) technique was developed to form 3D ultrafine gelatin fibers and, meanwhile, load an anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac, with high capacities for the long-term delivery. The developed scaffolds could achieve a maximum drug loading capacity of 12 wt.% and a highest drug loading efficiency of 84% while maintaining their 3D ultrafine fibrous structure with high specific pore volumes from 227.9 to 237.19 cm3/mg. The initial release at the first hour could be reduced from 34.7% to 42.2%, and a sustained linear release profile was observed with a rate of about 1% per day in the following 30 days. The diclofenac loaded in and released from the ULCPS scaffolds could keep its therapeutic molecular structure. The cell viability has not been affected by the release of drug when the loading was less than 12 wt.%. The results proved the possibility to develop various 3D ultrafine fibrous scaffolds, which can supply functional components in-situ with a long-term.

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Design of dual-responsive nanocarries with high drug loading capacity based on hollow mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles

Materials Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.1016/j.matchemphys.2019.05.025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 233 ◽

pp. 230-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Li-li Lu ◽

Wen-ya Xiong ◽

Jun-bin Ma ◽

Tian-fang Gao ◽

Si-yuan Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Loading ◽

Loading Capacity ◽

High Drug ◽

Dual Responsive ◽

Mesoporous Organosilica ◽

High Drug Loading

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Functionalization of Gold Nanostars with Cationic β-Cyclodextrin-Based Polymer for Drug Co-Loading and SERS Monitoring

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics13020261 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 261

Author(s):

Orlando Donoso-González ◽

Lucas Lodeiro ◽

Álvaro E. Aliaga ◽

Miguel A. Laguna-Bercero ◽

Soledad Bollo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomedical Applications ◽

Colloidal Stability ◽

Biomedical Application ◽

Drug Loading ◽

Gold Nanostars ◽

Raman Optical Activity ◽

Cationic Group ◽

Low Cytotoxicity ◽

Stability Limits ◽

Zeta Potential Analysis

Gold nanostars (AuNSs) exhibit modulated plasmon resonance and have a high SERS enhancement factor. However, their low colloidal stability limits their biomedical application as a nanomaterial. Cationic β-cyclodextrin-based polymer (CCD/P) has low cytotoxicity, can load and transport drugs more efficiently than the corresponding monomeric form, and has an appropriate cationic group to stabilize gold nanoparticles. In this work, we functionalized AuNSs with CCD/P to load phenylethylamine (PhEA) and piperine (PIP) and evaluated SERS-based applications of the products. PhEA and PIP were included in the polymer and used to functionalize AuNSs, forming a new AuNS-CCD/P-PhEA-PIP nanosystem. The system was characterized by UV–VIS, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, TGA, SPR, DLS, zeta potential analysis, FE-SEM, and TEM. Additionally, Raman optical activity, SERS analysis and complementary theoretical studies were used for characterization. Minor adjustments increased the colloidal stability of AuNSs. The loading capacity of the CCD/P with PhEA-PIP was 95 ± 7%. The physicochemical parameters of the AuNS-CCD/P-PhEA-PIP system, such as size and Z potential, are suitable for potential biomedical applications Raman and SERS studies were used to monitor PhEA and PIP loading and their preferential orientation upon interaction with the surface of AuNSs. This unique nanomaterial could be used for simultaneous drug loading and SERS-based detection.

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Present trends in the encapsulation of anticancer drugs

Physical Sciences Reviews ◽

10.1515/psr-2020-0080 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Xavier Montané ◽

Karolina Matulewicz ◽

Karolina Balik ◽

Paulina Modrakowska ◽

Marcin Łuczak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Nanotubes ◽

Drug Toxicity ◽

Recent Progress ◽

Polymeric Micelles ◽

Drug Loading ◽

The Body ◽

Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽

Hybrid Nanoparticles ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Low Solubility

Abstract Different nanomedicine devices that were developed during the recent years can be suitable candidates for their application in the treatment of various deadly diseases such as cancer. From all the explored devices, the nanoencapsulation of several anticancer medicines is a very promising approach to overcome some drawbacks of traditional medicines: administered dose of the drugs, drug toxicity, low solubility of drugs, uncontrolled drug delivery, resistance offered by the physiological barriers in the body to drugs, among others. In this chapter, the most important and recent progress in the encapsulation of anticancer medicines is examined: methods of preparation of distinct nanoparticles (inorganic nanoparticles, dendrimers, biopolymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, polymersomes, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and hybrid nanoparticles), drug loading and drug release mechanisms. Furthermore, the possible applications in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and cancer therapy of some of these nanoparticles have been highlighted.

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Better safe than sorry: Understanding the toxicological properties of inorganic nanoparticles manufactured for biomedical applications

Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.addr.2009.11.008 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 62 (3) ◽

pp. 362-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 452

Author(s):

Bengt Fadeel ◽

Alfonso E. Garcia-Bennett

Keyword(s):

Biomedical Applications ◽

Inorganic Nanoparticles

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Inorganic nanomaterial lubricant additives for base fluids, to improve tribological performance: Recent developments

Friction ◽

10.1007/s40544-021-0511-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Junhai Wang ◽

Weipeng Zhuang ◽

Wenfeng Liang ◽

Tingting Yan ◽

Ting Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metal Oxides ◽

Metallic Nanoparticles ◽

Carbon Nanomaterials ◽

Hexagonal Boron Nitride ◽

Tribological Performance ◽

Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽

Future Research ◽

Graphene Oxides ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Nano Additives

AbstractIn this paper, we review recent research developments regarding the tribological performances of a series of inorganic nano-additives in lubricating fluids. First, we examine several basic types of inorganic nanomaterials, including metallic nanoparticles, metal oxides, carbon nanomaterials, and “other” nanomaterials. More specifically, the metallic nanoparticles we examine include silver, copper, nickel, molybdenum, and tungsten nanoparticles; the metal oxides include CuO, ZnO, Fe3O4, TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, and several double-metal oxides; the carbon nanomaterials include fullerene, carbon quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxides, graphite, and diamond; and the “other” nanomaterials include metal sulfides, rare-earth compounds, layered double hydroxides, clay minerals, hexagonal boron nitride, black phosphorus, and nanocomposites. Second, we summarize the lubrication mechanisms of these nano-additives and identify the factors affecting their tribological performance. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges faced by inorganic nanoparticles in lubrication applications and discuss future research directions. This review offers new perspectives to improve our understanding of inorganic nano-additives in tribology, as well as several new approaches to expand their practical applications.

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