Formation of composite hydrogel of carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan/gelatin for sustained release of EGCG

Development of functional bioinspired hydrogels that have good releases control character is necessary for the application of these materials in biomedical engineering.Herein,we report a composite hydrogel prepared from several biocompatible carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan(CKGM)/gelatin(G)/tannic acid(TA)functional nano-hydroxyapatite(TA@n-HA),which has good biodegradability and pH sensitivity.The mechanism of interaction between hydrogels was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,Scanning electron microscopy and Thermogravimetric analysis.The physico-chemical properties of CKGM/G hydrogels have been significantly improved through the incorporation of TA@n-HA within the matrix.Studies in the sustained release of epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG)demonstrated that the TA@n-HA/CKGM/G hydrogels exhibit not only better pH sensitive properties,but also enhanced biocompatibility and encapsulation in comparison to the matrix devoid of TA@n-HA.Consequently,TA@n-HA/CKGM/G hydrogels using EGCG as a drug release model show the potential for drug delivery.