Hydrogel-based phototherapy for fighting cancer and bacterial infection

Hydrogels constitute a group of polymeric materials which can hold a large amount of water in their three-dimensional networks due to their hydrophilic structures. In the past few years, they have been researched for various biomedical applications, such as drug/cell carriers, tissue engineering, and biosensors. Particularly, the hydrogels used as drug delivery systems have shown distinct advantages in phototherapy. This review presents recent advancements of hydrogel’s use in phototherapeutic applications by focusing on three kinds of phototherapeutic methods including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and phototherapy-containing combination therapy (PCCT). The applications of these therapies in anticancer and antibacterial fields have also been summarized. We hope that this review will inspire researchers to further develop promising materials for phototherapy applications.摘要水凝胶构成了一类高分子材料, 它们的亲水结构使得其能够在三维网络中保有大量的水. 在过去几年中, 水凝胶在生物医学领域的 应用获得了很大的关注, 如作为药物或细胞的载体、组织工程和生物传感器等. 特别地, 水凝胶作为药物输运系统在光疗中拥有显著优点. 本综述总结了水凝胶在光疗应用中的最新进展, 尤其重点讨论了三种光疗方法(包括光动力治疗、光热治疗和组合治疗)及其在抗癌和抗 菌领域的应用. 我们希望本综述将有助于启发未来的相关研究以进一步拓展这种材料在光疗领域的新应用.