Review on Hydrogel- A Novel Carrier

Hydrogels are three?dimensional cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that swell in water and aqueous solutions without dissolving in them. Softness, smartness, and the capacity to store water make hydrogels unique materials.Several techniques have been reported for the synthesis of hydrogels like co-polymerization/crosslinking of co-monomers using multifunctional co-monomer, which acts as crosslinking agent. They can be classified in different ways on the basis of their preparation, biodegradable properties, polymer, sensitivity to surrounding environment and also their application. Hydrogels being biocompatible materials have been recognized to function as drug protectors, especially for peptides and proteins, from in-vivo environment. Hydrogels that are responsive to specific molecules, such as glucose or antigens, can be used as biosensors as well as drug delivery systems. This review mainly deals with the advantages, properties, method of preparation and characterization of hydrogels.