Assessment of release and anticancer effect of innovative pH-responsive and antioxidant-biodegradable hydrogel by using Parthenocissus quinquefolia L. extract as a crosslinker

The level of toxicity in cancer treatment with chemotherapy can negatively affect the treatment process. Therefore, targeted drug delivery systems play an important role in reducing treatment-related toxicities. Hydrogels with three-dimensional networks are being investigated as drug delivery systems due to their unique properties such as swelling capacity, biocompatibility, and bioavailability. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co- methacrylic acid)/PQ (p(HEMA-co-MAA)/PQ) hydrogel was prepared by redox polymerization method using Parthenocissus quinquefolia L. (PQ) plant extract, known for its anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, as a crosslinker. PQ hydrogels were prepared with various monomer and cross-linker ratios. The p(HEMAco-MAA)/PQ10 (1:1) with a highly porous structure exhibited high swelling behavior. The phenolic content of p (HEMA-co-MAA)/PQ10 (1:1) hydrogel which has been determined to have high in vitro biodegradability at pH 6.5, increased with the amount of PQ extract used as crosslinker. The pH-responsive, antioxidant, biodegradable, and highly porous p(HEMA-co-MAA)/PQ10 (1:1) hydrogel showed higher doxorubicin (Dox) release behavior at pH 6.5. The Dox-loaded p(HEMA-co-MAA)/PQ10 (1:1) hydrogel drug carrier showed its anticancer effect on inhibition of colonies and cell proliferation against breast cancer cell lines. Our findings show that the p(HEMAco-MAA)/PQ10 (1:1) hydrogel using the PQ plant extract as a crosslinker will be significant potential in combination and cancer therapy studies.