Alginate based semi-IPN and IPN hydrogel for drug delivery and regenerative medicine

Sodium alginate (SA) can form hydrogels with multivalent cations and is used in the tissue engineering and drug delivery fields. However, SA hydrogel exhibits high aqueous solubility, substantial swelling, and rapid matrix erosion. The drawbacks of SA hydrogels are overcome by making an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) and semi-IPN hydrogel with other synthetic and/or natural polymers. The use of SA-based IPN and semi-IPN hydrogels for tissue engineering and drug delivery has expanded enormously. These advances are not summarized to date. In this article, we try to bridge these gaps. This review deliberates on the advances of SA-based IPN and semi-IPN hydrogels for drug delivery and regenerative medicine.