Articolo in rivista, 2023, ENG, 10.1039/d3qm00139c

Sponge-like macroporous cyclodextrin-based cryogels for controlled drug delivery

Zagni C.; Coco A.; Mecca T.; Curcuruto G.; Patamia V.; Mangano K.; Rescifina A.; Carroccio S.C.

Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, Catania, 95125, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania Italy, , Italy; Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania Italy, , Italy; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry CNR-ICB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry CNR-ICB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania Italy, , Italy; Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Oncologic, Clinical, and General Pathology Section, University of Catania, Catania, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Oncologic, Clinical, and General Pathology Section, University of Catania, Catania Italy, , Italy

New drug delivery systems for wound healing applications based on ?/?/?-cyclodextrin (?/?/?-CD) acrylic (A) and styrenic (S) monomers have been synthesized and co-polymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) via a cryo-polymerization technique. The 3D macroporous cryogels containing hydrophobic cavities were loaded with lomefloxacin (LOM), piroxicam (PIR), and fluconazole (FLU) with a drug loading efficiency (DLE) of up to 78%. Depending on the formulated systems, the release of drugs under different stimuli was achieved, with efficiencies ranging from 23 to 95%. It was demonstrated that the presence of CDs within cryogels determines benefits both in loading capacity and drug delivery. CD derivatives were simultaneously loaded with LOM and PIR and tested for multi-drug release. This non-conventional approach was successfully designed as a proof of concept responding to the need to preserve a sterile target area, facilitating skin repair in wound healing applications. For this purpose, the biocompatibility of CD formulations was ascertained against human fibroblasts.

Materials chemistry frontiers (Online)

Keywords

sponge drug delivery

CNR authors

Carroccio Sabrina Carola, Mecca Tommaso, Curcuruto Giusy

CNR institutes

IPCB – Istituto per i Polimeri, Compositi e Biomateriali