Smart stimuli-responsive hydrogels for safe oral administration of Insulin: A Review

Abstract

Diabetes is a common disease worldwide, and its treatment has been continuously explored. In order to solve a series of problems associated with insulin injection, many researchers have been exploring carriers for oral insulin administration. To realize the absorption of insulin, it is necessary that the drug delivery carrier can overcome the complex internal environment. Smart hydrogels are applied in various fields of biomedicine because it can respond to external stimuli. There are feasible examples in the experiment of oral insulin administration by researchers using smart hydrogels. In this study, the obstacles in oral insulin delivery, the application of different types of smart hydrogels in oral insulin delivery and other insulin delivery methods, the application of smart response materials with different hydrogel matrices in the biomedical field, and the synthesis methods of smart hydrogels are reviewed.