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Synthesis and characterization of bio-nanocomposite hydrogel beads based on magnetic hydroxyapatite and chitosan: a pH-sensitive drug delivery system for potential implantable anticancer platform

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Abstract

Magnetic bio-nanocomposite hydrogels are a promising platform for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. This research presents the synthesis and characterization of novel magnetic bio-nanocomposite hydrogel beads based on magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and chitosan for potential pH-sensitive drug delivery. The successful synthesis was confirmed through various analysis methods. The prepared bio-nanocomposites hydrogel beads exhibited pH-sensitive swelling behavior. Furthermore, the bio-nanocomposites demonstrated a high loading capacity for doxorubicin (DOX) anticancer drug and a pH-sensitive drug release profile, with approximately 80% release rate at pH 5 and less than 10% release rate at pH 7.4. The Weibull kinetic model was the best-fitting function for DOX release from bio-nanocomposite hydrogels at pH 5. The cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded bio-nanocomposite hydrogels against HeLa cells was evaluated, which showed high cytotoxicity after incubation for 48 h at a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL. These findings suggest that the prepared magnetic bio-nanocomposite hydrogel beads have good potential for implantable pH-sensitive drug delivery in the treatment of cancerous tissue.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the University of Tabriz for providing financial

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  1. Advanced Polymer Material Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Vahid Bakhshi, Hossein Poursadegh, Mohammad Sadegh Amini-Fazl & Siamak Javanbakht

  2. Laboratory of Petroleum Technology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Dariush Salari

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  1. Vahid Bakhshi
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Correspondence to Mohammad Sadegh Amini-Fazl.

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Bakhshi, V., Poursadegh, H., Amini-Fazl, M.S. et al. Synthesis and characterization of bio-nanocomposite hydrogel beads based on magnetic hydroxyapatite and chitosan: a pH-sensitive drug delivery system for potential implantable anticancer platform. Polym. Bull. 81, 7499–7518 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-023-05072-1

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