This video is adapted from 10.3390/gels11121011
This video presents the development of novel hydrogels composed of methacrylated dextran and inulin for targeted drug delivery in colorectal cancer therapy. The formulation leverages the natural degradation of both biopolymers by the large intestine's microflora, with a key advancement being the creation of a room-temperature free radical polymerization synthesis method. The study systematically examines how varying inulin content (10 and 20 wt%) influences hydrogel properties, revealing that the formulation with 20 wt% inulin exhibits the highest swelling ability at both pH 3 and pH 6, and consequently the lowest elastic modulus as measured by a newly established technique for granulated hydrogels. Using uracil as a model drug incorporated in situ, the research confirms that the greatest drug release occurs in the colorectal region for the neat dextran-based hydrogel, triggered by specific microbial enzymes. Interestingly, the addition of inulin does not enhance biodegradation-driven drug release in combination with dextran; rather, it primarily acts as a protective component against premature hydrolysis in the gastric medium. These findings confirm that the targeted action is predominantly governed by the dextran component, with the synthesized hydrogels—particularly the dextran-only formulation—demonstrating strong potential as effective carriers for colon-targeted drug delivery.