A Peptide-Based Supramolecular Hydrogel for Controlled Delivery of Amine Drugs.

Supramolecular hydrogels hold great promise for controlled drug delivery. Herein we report a supramolecular hydrogel based on a peptide bearing a terminal aldehyde. The hydrogel was prepared via an enzyme instructed self-assembly (EISA) process, and the resulting hydrogels showed ultra-stable properties in highly acidic or basic aqueous solutions. The hydrogelator could form Schiff bases with amine drugs. Owing to the pH-responsive properties of Schiff bases, the hydrogels could be used for controlled release of encapsulated amine drugs. Our study provides a peptide-based hydrogel that may be applied for controlled drug delivery.