Strychnos Potatorum L. Seed Polysaccharide-Based Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Silver Nanocomposites for the Controlled Release of Chemotherapeutics and Antimicrobial Applications

Natural Strychnos potatorum L. (SPL) polysaccharide-based dual-responsive semi-IPN-type (SPL-DMA) hydrogels have been fabricated using dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate by simple free radical polymerization. Furthermore, a facial and ecofriendly method has been developed for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles on SPL-DMA hydrogel templates (SPL-DMA-Ag) using an aqueous leaf extract of Carissa spinarum (as a bioreducing agent). SPL-DMA and SPL-DMA-Ag were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and evaluated network parameters. 5-Fluorouracil and doxorubicin were successfully encapsulated, and in vitro drug release studies were performed at pH values of 1.2 and 7.4 and at 25 and 37 degrees C. To understand the drug release mechanism of SPL-DMA hydrogels, various kinetic parameters were calculated. Biocompatibility and anticancer activities of SPL-DMA hydrogels were proved by an antioxidant activity study and in vitro cell viability studies against HeLa and 3T3-L1 cell lines. SPL-DMA-Ag hydrogels were used for antibacterial application.