Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels (A Review)

Due to the variety of their structural makeup, hydrogels polymer networks that are saturated with water are used in a wide range of industries, including medicine, pharmaceuticals, cell or biomolecule separation, and biosensors. Hydrogels have received a lot of attention recently because of their flexible and stable structure in transition phenomena. In comparison to traditional hydrogels, the polymer network of nanocomposite hydrogels has better elastic and rheological properties. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs can both be present in hydrogels at the same time, which is why they are used to release both types of medications. Hydrogels are used in many medical applications, including tissue engineering, contact lenses, wound dressings, and the release of therapeutic agents, because they have a structure similar to the extracellular matrix and the capacity to absorb water. Drugs with a short half-life have an extended shelf life and duration of action due to the controlled release of the drug, which helps to maintain the best therapeutic concentration of the drug in the blood. For drugs with a prolonged release, controlled drug release makes the drug release rate dependable. This article discusses the properties of hydrogel nanocomposites and how they can be used to create targeted drug delivery systems.