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Molecules
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Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems
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Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 2457

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ildikó Katalin Bácskay

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei körút 98, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: assessment of biocompatibility; drug delivery system formulation; application of macromolecules; characterization of dosage forms; in vitro dissolution studies; SEDDS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Petra Arany

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: 3D printing; polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biopolymers are naturally occurring polymers made by living organisms; frequently used biopolymers in drug delivery include chitosan, alginate, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, and polylactic acid (PLA). They are often preferred for their favorable properties, like biodegradability, allowing for controlled degradation. Biocompatibility also make regulatory approval easier. These systems can improve drug solubility, as they have the ability to encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, protecting them from degradation before reaching a target, which increase the stability and bioavailability. Biopolymers can form advanced carriers like hydrogels, micro- and nanoparticles, microspheres, or films for various drug delivery platforms, and they have also gained the attention of 3D printing research groups looking to avoid the use of synthetic filaments or resin.

The aim of this Special Issue on “Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems” is to gather recent findings and current advances on biopolymer manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry. Contributions to this issue can be original research or review articles, and may cover all aspects of biopolymer research for drug delivery development. As Guest Editors, we cordially invite you to contribute a research paper or review on any aspect related to this topic.

Prof. Dr. Ildikó Bácskay
Dr. Petra Arany
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • drug delivery systems
  • biopolymers
  • personalized medication
  • nanoparticle
  • hydrogel
  • 3D printing

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4932 KB  
Article
Poly(levodopa)-Modified β-(1 → 3)-D-Glucan Hydrogel Enriched with Triangle-Shaped Nanoparticles as a Biosafe Matrix with Enhanced Antibacterial Potential
by Anna Michalicha, Vladyslav Vivcharenko, Anna Tomaszewska, Magdalena Kulpa-Greszta, Barbara Budzyńska, Dominika Fila, Judit Buxadera-Palomero, Agnieszka Krawczyńska, Cristina Canal, Dorota Kołodyńska, Anna Belcarz-Romaniuk and Robert Pązik
Molecules 2026, 31(1), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010181 - 3 Jan 2026
Viewed by 483
Abstract
Biomaterials derived from natural-origin polymers often lack the desired functionality and additional features, such as antibacterial properties, which could be beneficial in the design of modern wound dressings. Our research aimed to fabricate biosafe antibacterial dressings through the modification of curdlan-based hydrogels with [...] Read more.
Biomaterials derived from natural-origin polymers often lack the desired functionality and additional features, such as antibacterial properties, which could be beneficial in the design of modern wound dressings. Our research aimed to fabricate biosafe antibacterial dressings through the modification of curdlan-based hydrogels with triangle-shaped silver nanoparticles (AgTNPs) and poly(L-DOPA) (PL). The prepared hydrogels, including physicochemical, structural, biological, and antibacterial assessments, were thoroughly characterized. All formulations were confirmed to be non-toxic toward eukaryotic cells. The presence of PL in the hydrogels significantly reduced mortality in the zebrafish larvae model, highlighting the improved biocompatibility of the hydrogels. The three-component hydrogel (CUR-PL-AgT) demonstrated a high antibacterial effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, the same three-component material outperformed a hydrogel containing only AgTNPs in promoting blood clot formation. Furthermore, PL enhanced the heat generating capability of hydrogels, showing their potential in medical applications where the temperature effects can stimulate biological processes of different natures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems)
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21 pages, 4408 KB  
Article
Triaxial Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Prolonged Curcumin Release in Dental Applications: Drug Release and Biological Properties
by Sahranur Tabakoglu, Dorota Kołbuk and Paweł Sajkiewicz
Molecules 2025, 30(21), 4241; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30214241 - 31 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 679
Abstract
Triaxial electrospinning was used to fabricate fiber membranes composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and gelatin (GT), designed as carriers for curcumin (Cur) delivery. Here, synthetic polyesters acted as core and shell layers, while GT formed the middle layer containing Cur at varying [...] Read more.
Triaxial electrospinning was used to fabricate fiber membranes composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and gelatin (GT), designed as carriers for curcumin (Cur) delivery. Here, synthetic polyesters acted as core and shell layers, while GT formed the middle layer containing Cur at varying concentrations. This paper aimed to demonstrate the effect of a shell layer by rearranging the core and shell layers on the kinetics of model drug delivery. In vitro release results indicated the shell layer considerably affected the release behavior, reducing the initial burst release by up to 28% in triaxial fibers compared to coaxial fibers in PLGA-shell forms. The release kinetics were interpreted using the Gallagher–Corrigan model. The membranes were also evaluated for their morphological properties. PLGA-shell-layered triaxial fibers exhibited pore sizes up to approximately 11 µm, small enough to prevent cell migration, while providing higher permeability. The surface wettability analysis of the developed fibers showed that all forms exhibited hydrophilic properties. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility of the fiber membranes was confirmed with the relative cell viability of over 80%. Triaxial fibers with different shell layers displayed similar release trends, yet fibers with the PLGA shell layer demonstrated more favorable performance, attributed to its layer configuration. These findings suggest that the strategic positioning of polymers in triaxial electrospun membranes could be pivotal in optimizing drug delivery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems)
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15 pages, 1786 KB  
Article
Simple pH-Triggered Control over Hydrogel Formation by Acetyl Valine
by Roberta Stile, Devis Montroni, Demetra Giuri and Claudia Tomasini
Molecules 2025, 30(16), 3345; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30163345 - 11 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 814
Abstract
This paper reports on the use of acetyl-L-valine (Ac-Val) as an effective and precise pH modifier for inducing hydrogel formation. Ac-Val offers several advantages: it is fully water-soluble, overcoming dissolution issues, and allows for stock solution preparation to fine-tune trigger volume and final [...] Read more.
This paper reports on the use of acetyl-L-valine (Ac-Val) as an effective and precise pH modifier for inducing hydrogel formation. Ac-Val offers several advantages: it is fully water-soluble, overcoming dissolution issues, and allows for stock solution preparation to fine-tune trigger volume and final material pH. As a weaker carboxylic acid compared to inorganic acids, Ac-Val enables more controlled pH variation. For comparison, a commercial lactic acid (LA) solution was also evaluated. The reliability of Ac-Val as a pH modifier was tested on three amino acid derivatives—Boc-Dopa(Bn)2-OH, Lau-Dopa(Bn)2-OH, and Pal-Phe-OH, all known to be efficient gelators. These molecules, sharing common structural features, form gels varying in transparency, robustness, and elasticity. Notably, Pal-Phe-OH is a supergelator. A key benefit of Ac-Val lies in its ability to cause an instantaneous pH modification, allowing for precise pH adjustment before the gel network forms. This pH-change approach with Ac-Val demonstrates broad applicability, enabling the creation of gels with tailored pH values for various acidic molecules, which is particularly valuable for applications like drug delivery where specific pH environments are crucial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers for Drug Delivery Systems)
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