Puerarin hydrogel: Design and applications in biomedical engineering

Puerarin (PUE), a natural small molecule chemical with biological properties including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenesis-promoting properties, is a prime option for creating innovative materials. However, its clinical applications are constrained due to its limited solubility in water and lipids. Hydrogel is a powerful emerging material for many applications, ranging from sustainable energy to biomedical engineering. Recently, significant progress has been made in the research of hydrogel materials with Pueraria Mirifica as the key component, including environment-sensitive hydrogels, inclusion compound gels, supramolecular gels, self-assembled hydrogels, coupled nanoparticles, etc. Meanwhile, the progress of puerarin hydrogels in tissue engineering is categorically summarized, including their applications as drug release carriers, ophthalmic materials, biological scaffolds, wound dressings, etc. Overall, this review provides a reference for the preparation of novel herbal-based materials and will broaden the application of herbal medicine and hydrogels in biomedical engineering.