Bigel Systems for Drug Delivery Applications
Summary
Bigel systems represent advanced biphasic soft materials that combine a hydrogel network and an oleogel network within a single construct. This dual-phase architecture permits the simultaneous encapsulation of hydrophilic and lipophilic therapeutics, enabling finely tuned release kinetics and enhanced stability. By adjusting composition and processing parameters—including gelator concentration, interface stabilisation and network interpenetration—researchers can optimise mechanical strength, spreadability and mucoadhesion. Such attributes are particularly valuable in topical, transdermal and mucosal drug delivery, where sustained release and precise localisation are crucial. Applications span anti-psoriatic formulations, microbicidal vaginal gels for HIV prophylaxis and dermatological treatments, underscoring the global relevance of bigel platforms in overcoming challenges of drug solubility, bioavailability and patient compliance. Current efforts focus on elucidating structure–performance relationships to guide scalable manufacturing and clinical translation.
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Bigel Systems for Drug Delivery Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bigel systems for drug delivery applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bigel: A biphasic gel system comprising an interpenetrating hydrogel and oleogel network for dual-mode drug encapsulation.
Hydrogel: A three-dimensional polymer network swollen by water, useful for delivering hydrophilic drugs.
Oleogel: A gel formed by a gelator in a non-aqueous (oil) phase, suited to encapsulating lipophilic compounds.
Mucoadhesive: The property of a material to adhere to mucosal surfaces, prolonging residence time at the site of application.
Release kinetics: The rate and mechanism by which a drug is liberated from a delivery system into the surrounding medium.
References
- Development and evaluation of mucoadhesive bigel containing tenofovir and maraviroc for HIV prophylaxis. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2020).
- Carbopol hydrogel/sorbitan monostearate-almond oil based organogel biphasic formulations: Preparation and characterization of the bigels. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (2017).
- Polymeric Gels and Their Application in the Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
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