Impact of Alginate Nanogel with Epigallocatechin and 5-azacytidine on ex vivo Studies Against Copper Ischemic Injury

Naturally derived biopolymers like alginate are widely used for tissue engineering as hydrogels, and their angiogenic properties have led to their use in clinical trials. Myocardial ischemia is a significant concern in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this context, multi-target therapeutic strategies are gaining significant importance, and the present study is designed to prepare alginate nanogels (ANGs) entrapped with bioactive molecules epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and 5-azacytidine (5-A). The nanogels were characterized using various physiochemical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, DLS and zeta, FTIR, XRD, HR-SEM, and AFM analysis, indicating the entrapment of both bioactive molecules in ANGs. The antioxidant ability of the nanogels was evaluated using DPPH and superoxide scavenging activity to evaluate their protective effect, and it was indicated that the nanogels have superior antioxidant activity due to the presence of EGCG. To understand the hemocompatibility of the nanogels with bioactive molecules, a hemolysis test was carried out, and the nanogels did not cause any significant hemolysis for the concentrations tested. An ex-vivo copper ascorbate system was used to induce cardiac injury in chicken hearts, and the antioxidant status of heart tissue revealed that nanogels ANGs/EGCG/5-A could maintain an antioxidant status comparable to that of the control group. Histopathological analysis further revealed that nanogels containing EGCG and 5-A could preserve the structural integrity via an antioxidant defence mechanism, thereby protecting the cardiac function. Further in-vivo studies can establish alginate-based nanogels as a therapeutic agent for myocardial injury.