Injectable hydrogel: Mechanism of Action and Application in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Yiqi Yan^*Min-Min MoYan KeYang Liu

• Xinyu University, Xinyu, China

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease that can cause progressive joint damage, pain, and loss of function, even leading to disability. However, current treatment options for OA are mainly limited to alleviating symptoms or replacing damaged joints, and they cannot reverse cartilage damage or promote cartilage regeneration. Therefore, finding new methods to treat OA remains a daunting challenge. Various biomaterial strategies have been explored to address the issue of cartilage repair, including delivering therapeutic agents and providing structural support for tissue repair. However, the complex structure of cartilage tissue and its lack of regenerative ability hinder the achievement of this goal. Injectable hydrogels are considered highly promising for controlling the delivery and release of therapeutic agents in tissue repair. Injectable hydrogels can serve as ideal carriers for various substances, including drugs, growth factors, and stem cells. These substances are released in a controlled manner from the hydrogel scaffold; this controlled release modulates the inflammatory microenvironment and stimulates cartilage regeneration, thereby preventing the progression of OA. This makes injectable hydrogels a promising biomaterial for tissue repair. This article introduces the existing methods and limitations of OA treatment, as well as the unique properties of injectable hydrogels as delivery systems. Furthermore, it discusses the mechanisms of injectable hydrogels in OA treatment and summarizes the challenges and future potential directions of injectable hydrogels in the field of OA. In summary, injectable hydrogel delivery systems hold great potential in the treatment of OA, offering a potentially viable therapeutic option for OA management.