Ionotropic Cross-Linking of Biopolymers: Applications in Drug Delivery provides in-depth insights and presents the latest advances in ionotropic cross-linked biopolymeric systems for drug delivery and related applications. Sections introduce the fundamentals of ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers, including mechanisms, chemistry, cross-linking methods and gelation. Additional content delves into ionotropically cross-linked biopolymers based on a range of sources, including alginate, pectinate, carboxymethyl cellulose, gellan gum, chitosan, carboxymethylated gums, plant polysaccharide blends, and synthetic polymer blends. This is followed by a section focusing on ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles, microparticles, beads, and reinforced matrices.
The last part of the book explores specific advanced drug delivery applications, before considering future opportunities and challenges in the field. This is a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students across polymer science, biomaterials, biomedicine, pharmaceutics, biotechnology, and chemistry, as well as scientists and R&D personnel working in pharmacy, drug delivery, and materials for biomedicine.

• Explains chemistry, mechanisms, preparation methods and applications of biopolymeric systems
• Covers a range of biopolymer sources, including alginate, pectinate, gellan gum, chitosan, and others
• Guides the reader to cutting-edge applications in drug delivery, drug release, cell delivery and tissue engineering

Section 1: Introduction and fundamentals1. Ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers: Basics and mechanism2. Fundamentals and applications of ionic biopolymers 3. Ionic biopolysaccharides and their uses in ionotropically cross-linked hydrogels for controlled drug delivery 4. Ionotropic cross-linking methods of different types of biopolymeric hydrogels5. Ionotropic gelation in advanced drug delivery Section 2: Ionotropically cross-linked biopolymers6. Ionotropically cross-linked alginate-based systems in drug delivery7. Ionotropically cross-linked pectinate-based systems for drug delivery8. Ionotropically cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose-based systems for drug delivery 9. Ionotropically cross-linked gellan gum-based matrices in drug delivery 10. Ionotropically cross-linked chitosan-based drug delivery systems11. Ionotropically cross-linked carboxymethylated gums-based systems in drug delivery 12. Plant polysaccharides-blended ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric matrices for sustained drug release 13. Synthetic polymers-blended ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric matrices for sustained drug release Section 3: Ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric systems14. Ionotropically cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery15. Ionotropically cross-linked polymeric microparticles for drug delivery 16. Ionotropically cross-linked polymeric beads for drug delivery 17. Clay-reinforced ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric matrices for drug release18. Ceramics-reinforced ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric matrices for drug release19. Ionotropically cross-linked interpenetrated polymeric networks for drug delivery 20. Ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric polyelectrolyte complex matrices for drug delivery21. Ionotropically cross-linked drug delivery carriers made of grafted biopolymersSection 4: Specific drug delivery applications22. Ionotropically cross-linked buoyant polymeric matrices for gastroretentive drug delivery23. Ionotropically cross-linked polymeric matrices for colon-specific drug delivery24. Ionotropically cross-linked polymeric particulates in mucoadhesive drug delivery25. Ionotropically cross-linked biopolymeric carriers for protein and peptide drug delivery 26. Applications of ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers in cell delivery27. Ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers for drug delivery in wound management 28. Ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers for drug delivery in tissue engineering29. Future perspectives, challenges, and opportunities of ionotropic cross-linking of biopolymers in drug delivery