AlAnsari, R.; Hasan, B.; Deen, G.R.; Torsten, U. Hydrogel- and Nanocomposite-Based Drug-Delivery Strategies in the Treatment of Vaginal Infections. Polymers2024, 16, 775.
AlAnsari, R.; Hasan, B.; Deen, G.R.; Torsten, U. Hydrogel- and Nanocomposite-Based Drug-Delivery Strategies in the Treatment of Vaginal Infections. Polymers 2024, 16, 775.
AlAnsari, R.; Hasan, B.; Deen, G.R.; Torsten, U. Hydrogel- and Nanocomposite-Based Drug-Delivery Strategies in the Treatment of Vaginal Infections. Polymers2024, 16, 775.
AlAnsari, R.; Hasan, B.; Deen, G.R.; Torsten, U. Hydrogel- and Nanocomposite-Based Drug-Delivery Strategies in the Treatment of Vaginal Infections. Polymers 2024, 16, 775.
Abstract
The reproductive health of women is governed by an optimal balance between the host-microbiota interaction. Depletion in the beneficial vaginal microflora caused by depletion of Lactobacillus species and increased proliferation of pathogens results in gynecological infections. Among women of reproductive age, vaginal infections are increasingly prevalent. Attaining therapeutic efficacy using conventional formulations remains a challenge as vaginal fluids quickly remove or dilute the therapeutic formulations. Hydrogels have been widely exploited for targeted delivery of therapeutics directly into the vaginal mucus. With careful choice of polymers (natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic) hydrogels with specific properties such as stimuli-responsiveness, antimicrobial, and muco-adhesiveness can be tailored for higher therapeutic efficacy. In this review, the advnances in hydrogel strategies for the treatment of vaginal infections is presented with emphasis on the types and properties that play a significant role in vaginal drug delivery systems.
Keywords
vaginal infections; biofilm; bacterial vaginosis; vaginal drug delivery; hydrogels
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
