Superporous Hydrogel: An Innovative Method for Secure Gastroretentive Drug Delivery Systems

Superporous hydrogels were initially developed as innovative drug delivery systems to retain dosage forms in the upper gastrointestinal tract and to absorb drugs in the gastric media. This review addresses the generation-based classification of superporous hydrogels. The hydrophilic polymer networks, created by molecular entanglements, can absorb water up to thousands of times their dry weight. These systems expand rapidly and endure very acidic conditions in the stomach. This hydrogel rapidly swells due to capillary forces, driven by water absorption through its open porosity structure. This technique enhances solubility and bioavailability by precisely targeting the absorption site. Traditional superporous hydrogels have inadequate mechanical strength, which is addressed by the development of second-generation superporous hydrogel composites and third-generation superporous hydrogel hybrids. This article primarily addresses the classification, methodologies, drug loading, scholarly articles, characteriszations, and uses of superporous hydrogels