Investigation of the Release of Linagliptin from an Injectable Sodium Alginate/Gelatin Hydrogel in a Physiological Environment (In Vitro)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Internal Medicine, Shahid-Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

2 Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

3 Biotechnology Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

4 Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

10.22034/jrb.2026.07.V2I1A2

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus affects approximately 422 million people worldwide, with prevalence projected to double within two decades. Linagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor utilized for type 2 diabetes management, exhibits limited oral bioavailability (29.5%) due to extensive first-pass metabolism, necessitating alternative drug delivery strategies. An injectable drug delivery system for linagliptin, a type 2 diabetes management drug was developed through the synthesis of an alginate/gelatin hydrogel. The hydrogel underwent testing to assess its hydrating behavior, material breakdown, ability to be injected, and its crosslinking characteristics using FTIR and XRD testing methods. The hydrogel showed moderate swelling behavior with minimal tissue damage potential and a degradation time of one month which made it suitable for use in drug delivery systems. The hydrogel exhibited rheological properties that were controlled by temperature because it underwent a sol-gel transition at the temperature of 37 degrees Celsius because FTIR and XRD tests showed that crosslinking had been achieved. The drug release profile demonstrated an initial burst effect at 30 minutes which was followed by a sustained release pattern. The developed alginate/gelatin hydrogel represents a promising candidate for sustained linagliptin delivery, exhibiting slow degradation, moderate swelling, and favorable injectability. These properties suggest potential for reducing dosing frequency compared to conventional oral administration, pending validation through in vivo studies.

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Regenerative Biomedicine
Volume 2, Issue 1
July 2026
Pages 20-42

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