Abstract
In modern biomedicine and pharmacology, one of the central challenges is the development of highly efficient therapeutic systems with controlled drug release. Objective. This study investigates the influence of cation valence and concentration on the degree of crosslinking in polymer networks of alginate hydrogels prepared via ionotropic gelation. Results and Discussion. The structural characteristics of the synthesized materials were examined using physicochemical analysis. A detailed evaluation was conducted on the swelling kinetics and the release profiles of immobilized drugs in physiological saline. Stimuli-responsive (pH-dependent) ionotropic biocomposites capable of adapting to changes in environmental acidity were successfully synthesized. Particular attention was given to the differences in insulin release kinetics from alginate-gelatin biocomposites upon the incorporation of montmorillonite and its magnetized form. It was demonstrated that the inclusion of magnetized montmorillonite nanoparticles not only prolongs the release of the protein drug but also enables prospects for targeted transport under the influence of an external magnetic field. Conclusion. The findings highlight effective strategies for controlling the structure and physicochemical properties of biocomposite hydrogels. These advances represent an important step toward the development of therapeutic systems for controlled and targeted drug delivery.