Damaschin Roxana Petronela, Lazar Maria Marinela, Ghiorghita Claudiu-Augustin, Aprotosoaie Ana Clara, Volf Irina, Dinu Maria Valentina
"Cristofor Simionescu" Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi, Prof. Dimitrie Mangeron Boulevard 73, 700050 Iasi, Romania.
"Petru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley 41A, 700487 Iasi, Romania.
Polymers (Basel). 2024 Oct 7;16(19):2834. doi: 10.3390/polym16192834.
Porous hydrogels have brought more advantages than conventional hydrogels when used as chromatographic materials, controlled release vehicles for drugs and proteins, matrices for immobilization or separation of molecules and cells, or as scaffolds in tissue engineering. Polysaccharide-based porous hydrogels, in particular, can address challenges related to bioavailability, solubility, stability, and targeted delivery of natural antioxidant compounds. Their porous structure enables the facile encapsulation and controlled release of these compounds, enhancing their therapeutic effectiveness. In this context, in the present study, the cryogelation technique has been adopted to prepare novel dextran (Dx)-based porous hydrogels embedding polyphenol-rich natural extract from spruce bark (SBE). The entrapment of the SBE within the Dx network was proved by FTIR, SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). SEM analysis showed that entrapment of SBE resulted in denser cryogels with smaller and more uniform pores. Swelling kinetics confirmed that higher concentrations of Dx, EGDGE, and SBE reduced water uptake. The release studies demonstrated the effective stabilization of SBE in the Dx-based cryogels, with minimal release irrespective of the approach selected for SBE incorporation, i.e., during synthesis (3-4%) or post-synthesis (15-16%). In addition, the encapsulation of SBE within the Dx network endowed the hydrogels with remarkable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These porous biomaterials could have broad applications in areas such as biomedical engineering, food preservation, and environmental protection, where stability, efficacy, and safety are paramount.
多孔水凝胶在用作色谱材料、药物和蛋白质的控释载体、分子与细胞固定或分离的基质，或组织工程中的支架时，比传统水凝胶具有更多优势。特别是基于多糖的多孔水凝胶，能够应对与天然抗氧化化合物的生物利用度、溶解度、稳定性和靶向递送相关的挑战。其多孔结构使得这些化合物能够轻松包封并实现控释，从而提高其治疗效果。在此背景下，本研究采用冷冻凝胶化技术制备了新型的基于葡聚糖（Dx）的多孔水凝胶，其中包埋了富含多酚的云杉树皮天然提取物（SBE）。通过傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和能量色散X射线光谱（EDX）证明了SBE被包封在Dx网络中。SEM分析表明，SBE的包埋导致冷冻凝胶更致密，孔隙更小且更均匀。溶胀动力学证实，较高浓度的Dx、乙二醇二缩水甘油醚（EGDGE）和SBE会降低吸水率。释放研究表明，SBE在基于Dx的冷冻凝胶中得到了有效稳定，无论选择何种将SBE掺入的方法，即在合成过程中（约3 - 4%）或合成后（约15 - 16%），其释放量都极少。此外，SBE包封在Dx网络中赋予了水凝胶显著的抗氧化和抗菌性能。这些多孔生物材料在生物医学工程、食品保鲜和环境保护等领域可能具有广泛应用，在这些领域中稳定性、功效和安全性至关重要。
