Albumin-crosslinked alginate hydrogels as sustained drug release carrier

To take advantage of the drug-binding ability of albumin as a component of drug delivery system, we have prepared hydrogels consisting of alginic acid (AL) and recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) by dehydrating condensation using N-hydroxysuccininimide and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide. As rHSA content increased, the swelling ratio of the hydrogel decreased, indicating rHSA functioned as a crosslinker. In fact, trypsin treatment solubilized the hydrogel. Salicylic acid, which has high affinity for rHSA, was loaded most on the hydrogel of the highest rHSA content despite the lowest swelling ratio. Meanwhile, drugs with less affinity for HSA such as o-anisic acid and benzoic acid were preferably loaded on the hydrogel having the highest swelling ratio but the lowest HSA content. The release of salicylic acid from the hydrogel sustained longer than o-anisic acid and benzoic acid, reflecting the affinity of the drug for HSA. Furthermore, the hydrogel could carry much of positively charged dibucaine by the interaction with anionic alginic acid and showed highly sustained release. Since the safety of AL and rHSA in medical use is guaranteed, rHSA-crosslinked AL hydrogel is expected to use as a sustained drug release carrier for drugs having affinity for HSA and those with cationic charge.