Constructing a hydrogel based on self-assembly properties of glycyrrhizic acid: A drug delivery system with digestive tract responsive

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), an amphiphilic compound, is known for its natural sweetness and excellent self-assembly properties. Based on its self-assembled formulation forming ability, GA has been used as drug carriers and absorption enhancers, thereby altering the in vivo absorption kinetic processes of loaded drugs. This study mainly focuses on the influence of the GA self-assembled drug delivery system on the solubility, stability, and in vitro release of various active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine, especially simulating the physiological rhythms and environment of in vivo absorption. Our findings indicate that GA has a significant solubilizing effect on poorly water-soluble components. The inclusion of GA improves the stability of the majority of the measured components to different extents in the digestive tract. Furthermore, in vitro release studies have demonstrated that the GA hydrogel system effectively slows drug release and is also enterosoluble, indicating responsiveness to the digestive tract, which contributes to stable concentrations of the drug in the blood. To sum up, the GA self-assembled drug delivery system can enhance solubility and stability to varying degrees by altering the in vivo absorption kinetics of representative active ingredients, exhibiting drug sustained release and self-assembly system enteric-like characteristics in different physiological environments. This indicates that the drug delivery system formed by GA through self-assembly can interact with the digestive tract environment, thus enhancing the in vivo bioavailability of drugs by influencing their biopharmaceutical properties.