Figure 1.
Explored strategies for loading TMZ in chitosan-based thermogels. (a) For SiO2-TMZ, the drug is adsorbed on mesoporous silica (SiO2) via electrostatic interactions, and the colloid is then dispersed in the thermogel matrix. For PCL-TMZ, the drug is dissolved together with PCL in a dichloromethane/methanol (DCM/MeOH) mixture and spray-dried to afford PCL-TMZ microparticles that physically entrapped the drug. The drug-loaded microparticles were then formulated in the chitosan/βGP thermogel (THG). (b) Scanning electron micrographs of freeze-dried THG@PCL-TMZ. (c) THG@PCL-SiO2-TMZ. TMZ-loaded microcarriers are highlighted with dashed circles.