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Volume 11
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

The Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of Dextran-Based Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery Part I: Room Temperature Synthesis of Dextran/Inulin Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery

by
Tamara Erceg
1,*,
Miloš Radosavljević
1,
Milorad Miljić
2,
Aleksandra Cvetanović Kljakić
1,
Sebastian Baloš
3,
Katarina Mišković Špoljarić
4,
Ivan Ćorić
4,
Ljubica Glavaš-Obrovac
4 and
Aleksandra Torbica
2
1
Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
2
Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
3
Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
4
Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Josipa Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Gels 2025, 11(12), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121011
Submission received: 13 November 2025 / Revised: 12 December 2025 / Accepted: 14 December 2025 / Published: 16 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymer Hydrogels: Synthesis, Properties and Applications)
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Abstract

This research successfully developed novel hydrogels composed of methacrylated dextran and inulin for targeted drug delivery in colorectal cancer therapy. The formulation exploits the natural degradation of both biopolymers by the large intestine’s microflora. A key achievement was the development of a room-temperature free radical polymerization synthesis method. The study thoroughly investigated how varying inulin content (10 and 20 wt%) influenced the hydrogels’ properties. The formulation with 20 wt% inulin exhibited the highest swelling ability at both pH 3 and pH 6, and consequently the lowest elastic modulus, measured by a newly established technique for granulated hydrogels. Using uracil as a model drug, in situ incorporated, confirmed that the greatest drug release occurs in the colorectal region for the neat dextran-based hydrogel, triggered by specific microbial enzymes. Notably, the addition of inulin did not enhance biodegradation-driven drug release in combination with dextran; instead, inulin primarily acted as a protective component against premature hydrolysis in the gastric medium. These findings strongly confirm that the targeted action is predominantly governed by the dextran component. The synthesized hydrogels, particularly the dextran-only formulation, therefore show strong potential as effective carriers for colon-targeted drug delivery. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of modified and unmodified dextran and inulin as biodegradable carriers for enzyme-triggered, colon-targeted drug delivery.
Keywords: dextran; inulin; hydrogel; colon-specific drug delivery dextran; inulin; hydrogel; colon-specific drug delivery
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MDPI and ACS Style

Erceg, T.; Radosavljević, M.; Miljić, M.; Cvetanović Kljakić, A.; Baloš, S.; Špoljarić, K.M.; Ćorić, I.; Glavaš-Obrovac, L.; Torbica, A. The Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of Dextran-Based Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery Part I: Room Temperature Synthesis of Dextran/Inulin Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery. Gels 2025, 11, 1011. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121011

AMA Style

Erceg T, Radosavljević M, Miljić M, Cvetanović Kljakić A, Baloš S, Špoljarić KM, Ćorić I, Glavaš-Obrovac L, Torbica A. The Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of Dextran-Based Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery Part I: Room Temperature Synthesis of Dextran/Inulin Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery. Gels. 2025; 11(12):1011. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121011

Chicago/Turabian Style

Erceg, Tamara, Miloš Radosavljević, Milorad Miljić, Aleksandra Cvetanović Kljakić, Sebastian Baloš, Katarina Mišković Špoljarić, Ivan Ćorić, Ljubica Glavaš-Obrovac, and Aleksandra Torbica. 2025. "The Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of Dextran-Based Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery Part I: Room Temperature Synthesis of Dextran/Inulin Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery" Gels 11, no. 12: 1011. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121011

APA Style

Erceg, T., Radosavljević, M., Miljić, M., Cvetanović Kljakić, A., Baloš, S., Špoljarić, K. M., Ćorić, I., Glavaš-Obrovac, L., & Torbica, A. (2025). The Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Properties of Dextran-Based Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery Part I: Room Temperature Synthesis of Dextran/Inulin Hydrogels for Colon-Targeted Antitumor Drug Delivery. Gels, 11(12), 1011. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121011

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