Temperature- and pH-responsive injectable chitosan hydrogels loaded with doxorubicin and curcumin as long-lasting release platforms for the treatment of solid tumors.

ABSTRACT: The efficacy of treating solid tumors with chemotherapy is primarily hindered by dose-limiting toxicity due to off-target effects and the heterogeneous drug distribution caused by the dense extracellular matrix. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect within tumors restricts the circulation and diffusion of drugs. To overcome these obstacles, hydrogels formed in situ at the tumor site have been proposed to promote drug accumulation, retention, and long-lasting release. We developed a thiolated chitosan (CSSH) hydrogel with a gelation point of 37°C. Due to the pH-sensitive characteristics of disulfides, the prepared hydrogel facilitated drug release in the acidic tumor environment. A drug release system composed of hydrophilic doxorubicin (Dox) and hydrophobic liposome-e

SUBMITTER: Li N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9669971 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature