Starch-Based Hydrogel in Drug Delivery Applications

Polymer-based hydrogels, existing in a three-dimensional form, are water-insoluble that have the characteristic features of absorbing and retaining a huge amount of water within its polymeric mesh-like structures. Owing to its unique features such as functionality, elasticity, non-toxicity, and structural similarity to extracellular matrix (ECM), it holds special attention for its application in biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, biosensors, and personal care products. Nowadays, natural polymers have significantly gained a profound interest among researchers to consider them for their usage in the development of hydrogel systems. Starch, the plant polysaccharide, is extensively considered a promising biopolymer for its utilization in the design of starch-based hydrogel systems. This is mainly attributed to its ease of availability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Moreover, naturally derived starch is converted to a modified form of starch, further allowing its functionalization to improve its durability and stability. From a pharmaceutical application point of view, starch-based hydrogels are widely used as a carrier system to modulate the drug release in a controlled pattern, improve the therapeutic effectiveness, and minimize the possible side effects associated with any drug molecules. This chapter covers the fundamental aspects of starch, its physicochemical properties, and insight into numerous applications of starch-based hydrogel systems in drug delivery.