title: Hydrogels: from controlled release to pH-responsive drug delivery.
abstract: Hydrogels are one of the upcoming classes of polymer-based controlled-release drug delivery systems. Besides exhibiting swelling-controlled drug release, hydrogels also show stimuli-responsive changes in their structural network and hence, the drug release. Because of large variations in physiological pH at various body sites in normal as well as pathological conditions, pH-responsive polymeric networks have been extensively studied. This review highlights the use of hydrogels (a class of polymeric systems) in controlled drug delivery, and their application in stimuli-responsive, especially pH-responsive, drug release.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Pharmaceutical, Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160 062, India.
authors.forename: Piyush
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vermani
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg
mesh_terms: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D020100:Hydrogels; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations