Ammonia-triggered disintegration of kappa-carrageenan hydrogel carrier for site-specific anti-inflammatory drug delivery.

ABSTRACT: Ammonia accumulation in tissues is increasingly recognized as a direct biochemical trigger of ammonia-induced inflammation, yet no therapeutic strategy currently exists that can selectively target this pathological condition while minimizing systemic toxicity. Addressing this critical gap, the present study introduces a first-of-its-kind kappa-carrageenan (KC)-based formulation engineered to respond selectively to ammonia-rich inflammatory environments while simultaneously exerting synergistic anti-inflammatory effects. The KC gel's structural network exhibited pronounced disruption upon exposure to ammonium hydroxide, supported by physicochemical changes, the weakening of OH and SO₃H absorption bands in FT-IR spectra, and optical microscopy-confirmed morphological alterations.

SUBMITTER: Kumar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12815811 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature