Hybrid Advances (Dec 2023)
Exploring bioactive tragacanth gum for developing nerve regenerating agent imprinted hydrogels for brain drug delivery
Abstract
Brain injury is almost irreparable due to poor regenerative capability of neural tissue and drug delivery (DD) to brain is a unique challenge. Herein, bioactive tragacanth gum (TG) polysaccharide has been explored for developing hydrogel wound dressings encapsulated with citicoline (a nerve regenerating agent) as brain DD system for better nerve healing. The copolymeric structure was characterized by AFM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA & DSC. Design of copolymers was confirmed by FTIR with their characteristics peaks. Amorphous region analyzed by XRD which found to be useful for absorption of simulated wound fluid (SWF) and artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). Haemolysis caused by copolymer was found less than 5% indicated blood compatibility of copolymers. Release of drug occurred in sustained manner from dressings without burst release with Fickian mechanism & first order model. These hydrogels dressings exhibited biocompatible and mucoadhesive character and were found permeable to oxygen as well as to water vapor. These results make them suitable candidate for nerve injury dressing applications.
