Electrical Stimulation Responsive Hydrogel Drug Controlled Release System and Application

Zetao He, Mengru Wang, Xiao Chang, Jiale Li, Guohe Xu, Qiang Ma

Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 904-920.

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Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 904-920. DOI: 10.7536/PC20250725
Review

Electrical Stimulation Responsive Hydrogel Drug Controlled Release System and Application

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Abstract

Electrical stimulation responsive hydrogel drug controlled release system has attracted wide attention in the field of drug controlled release due to the advantages of precise and controllable electrical stimulation and good reversibility. Such hydrogels are usually composed of conductive polymers or polymer networks doped with conductive materials, which can undergo morphological or structural changes under the action of an external electric field, thereby achieving on-demand release of drugs. Nowadays, significant progress has been made in material design, preparation methods and release mechanisms of electrical stimulation-responsive hydrogel drug controlled release systems, such as improving the stability and response efficiency in vivo and in vitro by optimizing the conductivity, mechanical properties and biocompatibility of hydrogels. In this paper, the electrical response mechanism (ionic, electron, ion-electron mixed response type) and drug release mechanism (swelling drug release, contraction drug release) of the electrical stimulation responsive hydrogel drug controlled release system are introduced. Then, the research progress of electrical stimulation-responsive hydrogel drug controlled release system was summarized according to different electrical response mechanisms. The application of electrical stimulation-responsive hydrogel drug controlled release system in cancer treatment, diabetes treatment, heart disease treatment and nerve repair was summarized. Finally, based on some shortcomings of the current electric response hydrogel drug controlled release system (in vivo residue, drug release rate is difficult to accurately control, performance degradation after recycling), the prospect is made.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Electroresponsive hydrogels electrical response mechanism and the drug release mechanism of the drug controlled release system

2.1 Electroresponsive hydrogels electrical response mechanism

2.2 Electroresponsive hydrogels drug release mechanism of drug controlled release system

3 Electroresponsive hydrogels research progress of drug controlled release system

3.1 Ionic electroresponsive hydrogels drug controlled release systems

3.2 Electron electroresponsive hydrogels drug controlled release systems

3.3 Ion-electron mixed response type electroresponsive hydrogels drug controlled release systems

4 Electroresponsive hydrogels application of drug controlled release system

4.1 Cancer therapy

4.2 Diabetes treatment

4.3 Heart disease treatment

4.4 Repair of nerve

5 Conclusions and prospects

Key words

hydrogels / electroresponse / drug controlled release systems / applications

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Zetao He , Mengru Wang , Xiao Chang , et al . Electrical Stimulation Responsive Hydrogel Drug Controlled Release System and Application[J]. Progress in Chemistry. 2026, 38(5): 904-920 https://doi.org/10.7536/PC20250725

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Funding

Basic Scientific Research Funds for Universities Affiliated to Hebei Province of China(KY2022056)
Basic Scientific Research Funds for Universities Affiliated to Hebei Province of China(KY2024016)
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