Biodegradable and Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Advanced Controlled Drug Delivery Systems

Year : 2025 | Volume : 13 | Special Issue 06 | Page : 271 284
    By

    Patil P. A.,

  • K. A. Shirbavikar,

  • Ram Garg,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Krishna Institute of Pharmacy, Karad, Maharashtra, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, Maharshtra, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy, Arya College of Pharmacy, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Polymer-gel forms have gained popularity in medicine as means of medication delivery over the skin. This is so since they enable medications pass the skin more readily. These products allow medicine to be administered without surgery and provide continuous active ingredient supply. They are excellent for long-term therapy for managing conditions that keep resurfacing. From tiny synthetic ones to huge biological ones, polymer gels can store a wide spectrum of medications and are flexible. This makes them a perfect delivery tool for medication. Selecting polymers that are safe, suitable for the environment, and occasionally generate stable gels helps you create polymer-gel formulas. These products are aimed to make patients comfortable and ensure they follow the directions while helping medications pass the top layer of skin, stratum corneum. Researchers have investigated several approaches to enhance the way various forms of medications including hormones, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory drugs are delivered. These call for applying hydrogels, organogels, and nanostructured gels. Made to enable medications enter the body more readily and gently depart the body, polymer gels can People could therefore not have to take their medication as often, which would assist the therapy to be more effective. More so for therapy, these instruments may target certain areas of the skin or deeper organs, therefore addressing specific organs. Recent developments in nanotechnology have made it feasible to include small particles into polymer gel construction. Drugs are therefore more stable, simpler to dissolve, and better released from this standpoint.

Keywords: Transdermal drug delivery, polymer-gel formulations, controlled release, biocompatible polymers, nanotechnology.

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article:
Patil P. A., K. A. Shirbavikar, Ram Garg. Biodegradable and Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Advanced Controlled Drug Delivery Systems. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2025; 13(06):271-284.
How to cite this URL:
Patil P. A., K. A. Shirbavikar, Ram Garg. Biodegradable and Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Advanced Controlled Drug Delivery Systems. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2025; 13(06):271-284. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2025/view=234077


References

  1. Chen, M.; Cui, Y.; Wang, Y.; Chang, C. Triple physically cross-linked hydrogel artificial muscles with high-stroke and high-work capacity. Chem. Eng. J. 2023, 453, 139893.
  2. Tang, Z.; Liu, D.; Lyu, X.; Liu, Y.; Liu, Y.; Yang, W.; Shen, Z.; Fan, X. Ultra-stretchable ion gels based on physically cross-linked polymer networks. J. Mater. Chem. C 2022, 10, 10926–10934.
  3. Wu, M.; Chen, X.; Xu, J.; Zhang, H. Freeze-thaw and solvent-exchange strategy to generate physically cross-linked organogels and hydrogels of curdlan with tunable mechanical properties. Carbohydr. Polym. 2022, 278, 119003.
  4. Guo, Y.; Wu, M.; Li, R.; Cai, Z.; Zhang, H. Thermostable physically crosslinked cryogel from carboxymethylated konjac glucomannan fabricated by freeze-thawing. Food Hydrocoll. 2022, 122, 107103.
  5. Sarmah, D.; Karak, N. Physically cross-linked starch/hydrophobically-associated poly(acrylamide) self-healing mechanically strong hydrogel. Carbohydr. Polym. 2022, 289, 119428.
  6. Dong, X.; Yao, F.; Jiang, L.; Liang, L.; Sun, H.; He, S.; Shi, M.; Guo, Z.; Yu, Q.; Yao, M.; et al. Facile preparation of a thermosensitive and antibiofouling physically crosslinked hydrogel/powder for wound healing. J. Mater. Chem. B 2022, 10, 2215–2229.
  7. Caló, E.; Khutoryanskiy, V.V. Biomedical applications of hydrogels: A review of patents and commercial products. Eur. Polym. J. 2015, 65, 252–267.
  8. Horkay, F.; Douglas, J.F. Polymer Gels: Basics, Challenges, and Perspectives. In Gels and Other Soft Amorphous Solids; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, USA, 2018; Chapter 1; pp. 1–13.
  9. Zhou, Y.; Chu, R.; Fan, L.; Meng, X.; Zhao, J.; Wu, G.; Li, X.; Jiang, X.; Sun, F. Study on the mechanism and performance of polymer gels by TE and PVA chemical cross-linking. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2022, 139, 52043.
  10. Khan, R.; Zaman, M.; Salawi, A.; Khan, M.A.; Iqbal, M.O.; Riaz, R.; Ahmed, M.M.; Butt, M.H.; Alvi, M.N.; Almoshari, Y.; et al. Synthesis of chemically cross-linked pH-sensitive hydrogels for the sustained delivery of ezetimibe. Gels 2022, 8, 281.
  11. Rushikesh Jadhav, Shreyas Kapse, Sahil Mane, Niraj Bhagwat. (2024). Advancements in AI-Enabled Mock Interview Platforms: A Review of Interviewello’s Web Application. ITSI Transactions on Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 13(2), 35-41.
  12. P. N. Shinde, Honmane Vishal , Jadhav Vrushali, Nigade Shweta, Suryawanshi Divya. (2024). Assistive Vision Technologies for the Visually Impaired: A Comprehensive Literature Survey. ITSI Transactions on Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 13(2), 29-34.
  13. Zhao, W.; Dong, Z.; Zhao, L. Radiation synthesis of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) gel polymers. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 2022, 198, 110251.
  14. Sala, L.; Perecko, T.; Mestek, O.; Pinkas, D.; Homola, T.; Kočišek, J. Cisplatin-Cross-Linked DNA Origami Nanostructures for Drug Delivery Applications. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2022, 5, 13267–13275.
  15. Siafaka, P.I.; Gündoğdu, E.A.; Cağlar, E.S.; Özgenç, E.; Gonzalez-Alvarez, M.; Gonzalez-Alvarez, I.; Okur, N.Ü. Polymer Based Gels: Recent and Future Applications in Drug Delivery Field. Curr. Drug Deliv. 2022, 19.
  16. Zhang, P.; Jiang, L.; Chen, H.; Hu, L. Recent Advances in Hydrogel-Based Sensors Responding to Ionizing Radiation. Gels 2022, 8, 238.
  17. Ahmad, Z.; Salman, S.; Khan, S.A.; Amin, A.; Rahman, Z.U.; Al-Ghamdi, Y.O.; Akhtar, K.; Bakhsh, E.M.; Khan, S.B. Versatility of Hydrogels: From Synthetic Strategies, Classification, and Properties to Biomedical Applications. Gels 2022, 8, 167.
  18. Almeshaal, M., Palanisamy, S., Murugesan, T. M., Palaniappan, M., & Santulli, C. (2022). Physico-chemical characterization of Grewia Monticola Sond (GMS) fibers for prospective application in biocomposites. Journal of Natural Fibers, 19(17), 15276–15290. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2022.2123076
  19. CarloSantulli, SivasubramanianPalanisamy, MayandiKalimuthu, Pineapple fibers, their composites and applications, Plant Fibers, their Composites, and Applications, The Textile Institute Book Series, 2022, Pages 323-346
  20. Palanisamy, S.; Mayandi, K.; Palaniappan, M.; Alavudeen, A.; Rajini, N.; Vannucchi de Camargo, F.; Santulli, C. Mechanical Properties of Phormium Tenax Reinforced Natural Rubber Composites. Fibers 2021, 9, 11.
  21. Sumesh, K. R., Palanisamy, S., Khan, T., Ajithram, A., and Ahmed, O. S. (2024). “Mechanical, morphological and wear resistance of natural fiber / glass fiber-based polymer composites,” BioResources 19(2), 3271-3289.
  22. Palanisamy, S.; Kalimuthu, M.; Santulli, C.; Palaniappan, M.; Nagarajan, R.; Fragassa, C. Tailoring Epoxy Composites with Acacia caesia Bark Fibers: Evaluating the Effects of Fiber Amount and Length on Material Characteristics. Fibers 2023, 11, 63.
  23. Palaniappan, M., Palanisamy, S., Murugesan, T.M. et al. Novel Ficus retusa aerial root fiber: a sustainable alternative for synthetic fibres in polymer composites reinforcement. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 15, 7585–7601 (2025)

Special Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Special Issue 06
Received 12/06/2025
Accepted 14/07/2025
Published 05/09/2025
Publication Time 85 Days


Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics