HYDROGEL IN DRUG DELIVERY

ABSTRACT Hydrogels are hydrophilic, three-dimensional networks, which are able to imbibe large amounts of water or biological fluids, and thus resemble, to a large extent, a biological tissue. They are insoluble due to the presence of chemical and/or physical crosslinks such as entanglements and crystallites. These materials can be synthesized to respond to a number of physiological stimuli present in the body, such as pH, ionic strength and temperature. The goal in designing these systems is to reduce the frequency of dosing or to increase effectiveness of the drug by localization at the site of action, decreasing the dose required or providing uniform drug delivery.