{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T05:01:33Z","timestamp":1791349293520,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":74,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]],"date-time":"2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1743379200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002383","name":"King Saud University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RSPD2025R959"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RSPD2025R959"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002383","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Candida auris is a significant global health concern, due to its rapid transmission, high mortality rate, and resistance to commonly available antifungal drugs. Methodology: During the current study, a cationic polymeric hydrogel was developed using chitosan (CS), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and methacrylic acid (MAA). The respective solutions were mixed in a volumetric ratio of 2:1:1. After characterization, the hydrogel was assessed using antifungal, antibiofilm, and hemocompatibility assays. Results: The hydrodynamic radius of 554.7 \u00b1 90.1 nm and zeta potential of 15.6 \u00b1 1.09 mV indicate the ideal size and charge for topical applications and in vivo studies, respectively. The formulation exhibited improved thermal stability, enhanced swelling, and a drug release profile for non-Fickian diffusion. The hydrogel effectively inhibited fungal growth in agar plates (42 \u00b1 7.31 mm zone of inhibition), with a mean IC50 of 15.17 \u00b1 4.01 \u03bcg\/mL and MIC of 29.30 \u00b1 11.72 \u03bcg\/mL. Calcofluor white (CFW) staining showed diffuse irregular yeast cells, suggesting increased membrane permeability, eventually leading to cell death. The hemocompatibility assay revealed no visible agglutination or hemolysis at the MIC value. The formulation exhibited significantly reduced biofilm formation compared to the growth control (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, in silico analysis revealed that MAA showed superior oral bioavailability, no inhibitory activity on cytochrome P450 enzymes, and low potential for toxicity through nuclear receptor signaling pathways. Conclusions: Cationic hydrogels show promise as potential antifungal treatments. The development of cost-effective and improved therapeutic methods is crucial to combat this deadly pathogen and to improve patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph18040506","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]],"date-time":"2025-03-31T08:48:00Z","timestamp":1743410880000},"page":"506","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Synthesis and Evaluation of a Chitosan-Based Cationic Hydrogel with Strong Antifungal and Antibiofilm Activities Against Clinical Isolates of Candida auris"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4880-2008","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Muhammad","family":"Kamran","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45520, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-4762-6532","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maryam","family":"Aftab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45520, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1802-1737","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Afreenish","family":"Amir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fatima","family":"Javed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amtul Quddos","family":"Latif","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi 77550, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kausar Abbas","family":"Saldera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi 77550, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8769-4564","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdul","family":"Ahad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3302-4036","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yousef A. Bin","family":"Jardan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Louise Ann","family":"Walker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kiran","family":"Nisa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45520, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Faheem","family":"Ullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bioresource Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naseer Ali","family":"Shah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45520, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.5578\/mb.20217","article-title":"Candida auris and Mechanisms of Antifungal Drug Resisstance","volume":"55","author":"Alp","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mikrobiyol. Bul."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"717","DOI":"10.1016\/S2666-5247(24)00042-9","article-title":"The WHO fungal priority pathogens list: A crucial reappraisal to review the prioritisation","volume":"5","author":"Casalini","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Microbe"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"39","article-title":"Candida auris: Report of an outbreak","volume":"38","author":"Palop","year":"2020","journal-title":"Enfermedades Infecc. Microbiol. Clin."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pham, L.T.T., Pharkjaksu, S., Chongtrakool, P., Suwannakarn, K., and Ngamskulrungroj, P. (2019). A predominance of clade 17 Candida albicans isolated from hemocultures in a tertiary care hospital in Thailand. Front. Microbiol., 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2019.01194"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1107","DOI":"10.1007\/s15010-021-01640-7","article-title":"Deciphering the epidemiology of invasive candidiasis in the intensive care unit: Is it possible?","volume":"49","author":"Soulountsi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Infection"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mamali, V., Siopi, M., Charpantidis, S., Samonis, G., Tsakris, A., Vrioni, G., and Network, C.-C. (2022). Increasing incidence and shifting epidemiology of candidemia in Greece: Results from the first nationwide 10-year survey. J. Fungi, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/jof8020116"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Du, H., Bing, J., Hu, T., Ennis, C.L., Nobile, C.J., and Huang, G. (2020). Candida auris: Epidemiology, biology, antifungal resistance, and virulence. PLoS Pathog., 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.ppat.1008921"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1111\/myc.13419","article-title":"Molecular characterisation of Candida auris isolates from immunocompromised patients in a tertiary-care hospital in Kuwait reveals a novel mutation in FKS1 conferring reduced susceptibility to echinocandins","volume":"65","author":"Asadzadeh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mycoses"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sabino, R., Ver\u00edssimo, C., Pereira, \u00c1.A., and Antunes, F. (2020). Candida auris, an agent of hospital-associated outbreaks: Which challenging issues do we need to have in mind?. Microorganisms, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms8020181"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Arita, G.S., Faria, D.R., Capoci, I.R., Kioshima, E.S., Bonfim-Mendon\u00e7a, P.S., and Svidzinski, T.I. (2022). Cell wall associated proteins involved in filamentation with impact on the virulence of Candida albicans. Microbiol. Res., 258.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.micres.2022.126996"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Burrack, L.S., Todd, R.T., Soisangwan, N., Wiederhold, N.P., and Selmecki, A. (2022). Genomic Diversity across Candida auris Clinical Isolates Shapes Rapid Development of Antifungal Resistance In Vitro and In Vivo. mBio, 13.","DOI":"10.1128\/mbio.00842-22"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100067","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tcsw.2021.100067","article-title":"Fungal cell wall components modulate our immune system","volume":"7","author":"Briard","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cell Surf."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-micro-032521-015858","article-title":"Candida auris Genetics and Emergence","volume":"77","author":"Chowdhary","year":"2023","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e753","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa1462","article-title":"Factors associated with Candida auris colonization and transmission in skilled nursing facilities with ventilator units, New York, 2016\u20132018","volume":"72","author":"Rossow","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Azevedo, M.I.G., Souza, P.F.N., Monteiro J\u00fanior, J.E., and Grangeiro, T.B. (2024). Chitosan and Chitooligosaccharides: Antifungal Potential and Structural Insights. Chem. Biodivers., 21.","DOI":"10.1002\/cbdv.202400044"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Muangsawat, S. (2024). Effects of Efflux Pumps on Antifungal Activity of Chitosan Against Candida albicans. J. Oral Microbiol., 16.","DOI":"10.1080\/20002297.2024.2357976"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aftab, M., Javed, F., Haider, S., Khan, R., Khan, S.U., Alam, K., Amir, A., Ullah, F., and Shah, N.A. (2024). Design and Characterization of Chitosan-Based Smart Injectable Hydrogel for Improved Sustained Release of Antinarcotics. Pharmaceuticals, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ph17060749"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kurzyna, J.M., Kopiasz, R.J., Paul, M., Flont, M., Baranowska, P., Mierzejewska, J., Dr\u0119\u017cek, K., Tomaszewski, W., Jastrz\u0119bska, E., and Ja\u0144czewski, D. (2024). Unlocking the Potential: PEGylation and Molecular Weight Reduction of Ionenes for Enhanced Antifungal Activity and Biocompatibility. Macromol. Biosci., 24.","DOI":"10.1002\/mabi.202400032"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"de Groot, T., Janssen, T., Faro, D., Cremers, N.A., Chowdhary, A., and Meis, J.F. (2021). Antifungal activity of a medical-grade honey formulation against Candida auris. J. Fungi, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/jof7010050"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fuchs, F., Hof, H., Hofmann, S., Kurzai, O., Meis, J.F., and Hamprecht, A. (2021). Antifungal activity of nitroxoline against Candida auris isolates. Clin. Microbiol. Infect., 27.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2021.06.035"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1685","DOI":"10.1021\/acsinfecdis.3c00113","article-title":"Potent Antifungal Activity of Penta-O-Galloyl-B-d-Glucose Against Drug-Resistant Candida albicans, Candida auris, and Other Non-albicans Candida Species","volume":"9","author":"Marquez","year":"2023","journal-title":"Acs Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thienngern, P., Panichuttra, A., Ratisoontorn, C., Aumnate, C., and Matangkasombut, O. (2022). Efficacy of Chitosan Paste as Intracanal Medication Against Enterococcus Faecalis and Candida Albicans Biofilm Compared with Calcium Hydroxide in an in Vitro Root Canal Infection Model. BMC Oral Health, 22.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12903-022-02385-x"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Perinelli, D.R., Campana, R., Skouras, A., Bonacucina, G., Cespi, M., Mastrotto, F., Baffone, W., and Casettari, L. (2018). Chitosan Loaded into a Hydrogel Delivery System as a Strategy to Treat Vaginal Co-Infection. Pharmaceutics, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics10010023"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100168","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sintl.2022.100168","article-title":"Chitosan based injectable hydrogels for smart drug delivery applications","volume":"3","author":"Singha","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sens. Int."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ullah, F., Javed, F., Mushtaq, I., Rahman, L.U., Ahmed, N., Din, I.U., Alotaibi, M.A., Alharthi, A.I., Ahmad, A., and Bakht, M.A. (2023). Development of highly-reproducible hydrogel based bioink for regeneration of skin-tissues via 3-D bioprinting technology. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 230.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2022.123131"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"605","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prosdent.2019.08.003","article-title":"Reduction of Candida albicans biofilm formation by coating polymethyl methacrylate denture bases with a photopolymerized film","volume":"124","author":"Acosta","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Prosthet. Dent."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.1111\/myc.12907","article-title":"A high-throughput and rapid method for accurate identification of emerging multidrug-resistant Candida auris","volume":"62","author":"Ahmad","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mycoses"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2015.05.077","article-title":"NaOH treatment of chitosan films: Impact on macromolecular structure and film properties","volume":"132","author":"Takara","year":"2015","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"869","DOI":"10.1080\/05704928.2021.1946822","article-title":"FTIR spectroscopy in biomedical research: How to get the most out of its potential","volume":"56","author":"Goodfellow","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Spectrosc. Rev."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3359","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-17034-6","article-title":"Subsurface chemical nanoidentification by nano-FTIR spectroscopy","volume":"11","author":"Mester","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carolus, H., Pierson, S., Mu\u00f1oz, J.F., Suboti\u0107, A., Cruz, R.B., Cuomo, C.A., and Dijck, P.V. (2021). Genome-Wide Analysis of Experimentally Evolved Candida Auris Reveals Multiple Novel Mechanisms of Multidrug Resistance. Mbio, 12.","DOI":"10.1128\/mBio.03333-20"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13616","DOI":"10.1021\/acsanm.3c02266","article-title":"Gallium Oxide Nanoparticle-Loaded, Quaternized Chitosan-Oxidized Sodium Alginate Hydrogels for Treatment of Bacteria-Infected Wounds","volume":"6","author":"Negi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Nano Mater."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jang, K., Lee, W., Park, S., Han, J., Kim, J.E., Kim, B.M., and Chung, J.H. (2021). Sulfur(VI) Fluoride Exchange (SuFEx)-Mediated Synthesis of the Chitosan-Peg Conjugate and Its Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery. Nanomaterials, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano11020318"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.3390\/md13010141","article-title":"Does the use of chitosan contribute to oxalate kidney stone formation?","volume":"13","author":"Queiroz","year":"2014","journal-title":"Mar. Drugs"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.4103\/2230-973X.187344","article-title":"Improved dissolution and anti-inflammatory activity of ibuprofen-polyethylene glycol 8000 solid dispersion systems","volume":"6","author":"Ofokansi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Pharm. Investig."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"481","article-title":"Investigation of swelling behavior and mechanical properties of a pH-sensitive superporous hydrogel composite","volume":"11","author":"Gupta","year":"2012","journal-title":"Iran. J. Pharm. Res."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"3580","article-title":"A Structure-Supporting, Self-Healing, and High Permeating Hydrogel Bioink for Establishment of Diverse Homogeneous Tissue-Like Constructs","volume":"6","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Bioact. Mater."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Keklikian, A., de Barros, N.R., Rashad, A., Chen, Y., Tan, J.L., Sheng, R., Sun, D., Liu, H., and Thankam, F.G. (2024). Chitosan\u2013Polyethylene Glycol Inspired Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogel Templates Favoring NEO-Tissue Formation for Cardiac Tissue Engineering. Gels, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/gels10010046"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jiang, S., and Mohanty, M. (2023). Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Biocompatible, Non-Toxic, and Fast-Gelling Chitosan-Peg Hydrogel Based on Michael Addition. ChemRxiv.","DOI":"10.26434\/chemrxiv-2023-s233k-v2"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ayach, J., Duma, L., Badran, A., Hijazi, A., Martinez, A., Bechelany, M., Baydoun, E., and Hamad, H. (2024). Enhancing Wastewater Depollution: Sustainable Biosorption Using Chemically Modified Chitosan Derivatives for Efficient Removal of Heavy Metals and Dyes. Materials, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma17112724"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8250","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.3c14760","article-title":"Photo-Controlled Reversible Uptake and Release of a Modified Sulfamethoxazole Antibiotic Drug From a Pillar[5]arene Cross-Linked Gelatin Hydrogel","volume":"16","author":"Prigyai","year":"2024","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e202202284","DOI":"10.1002\/slct.202202284","article-title":"Electrostatic Induced Peptide Hydrogels for pH-Controllable Doxorubicin Release and Antitumor Activity","volume":"7","author":"Tang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chemistryselect"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Duceac, I.A., Vere\u0219tiuc, L., Dimitriu, D.C., Maier, V.P., and Coseri, S. (2020). Design and Preparation of New Multifunctional Hydrogels Based on Chitosan\/Acrylic Polymers for Drug Delivery and Wound Dressing Applications. Polymers, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym12071473"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1147","DOI":"10.1002\/jbm.a.37107","article-title":"Effects of Beta-tricalcium Phosphate Nanoparticles on the Properties of a Thermosensitive Chitosan\/Collagen Hydrogel and Controlled Release of Quercetin","volume":"109","author":"Sareethammanuwat","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yu, C., Chen, X., Zhu, W., Li, L., Peng, M., Zhong, Y., Naeem, A., Zang, Z., and Guan, Y. (2022). Synthesis of Gallic Acid-Loaded Chitosan-Grafted-2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid Hydrogels for Oral Controlled Drug Delivery: In Vitro Biodegradation, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Effects. Gels, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/gels8120806"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1177\/08839115221085736","article-title":"Peripheral Nerve Regeneration by Thiolated Chitosan Hydrogel Containing Taurine: In Vitro and in Vivo Study","volume":"37","author":"Ehtermi","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Bioact. Compat. Polym."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Flores-Espinoza, A.I. (2023). Gelatin\u2013Chitosan Hydrogel Biological, Antimicrobial and Mechanical Properties for Dental Applications. Biomimetics, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/biomimetics8080575"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1007\/s42452-020-2052-5","article-title":"Integration of Collagen Into Chitosan Blend Film Composites: Physicochemical Property Aspects for Pharmaceutical Materials","volume":"2","author":"Thongchai","year":"2020","journal-title":"SN Appl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9915","DOI":"10.1002\/slct.201902290","article-title":"pH-Responsive Studies of Bacterial Cellulose\/Chitosan Hydrogels Crosslinked with Genipin: Swelling and Drug Release Behaviour","volume":"4","author":"Arikibe","year":"2019","journal-title":"ChemistrySelect"},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"49819","article-title":"Chitosan Hydrogel Covalently Crosslinked by Gold Nanoparticle: Eliminating the Use of Toxic Crosslinkers","volume":"138","author":"Lemes","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Appl. Polym. Sci."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1071","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.00946-13","article-title":"Paradoxical Growth of Candida albicans in the Presence of Caspofungin Is Associated with Multiple Cell Wall Rearrangements and Decreased Virulence","volume":"58","author":"Rueda","year":"2014","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1111\/adj.12826","article-title":"Efficacy of Low-molecular Weight Chitosan Against Candida albicans Biofilm on Polymethyl Methacrylate Resin","volume":"66","author":"Srimaneepong","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aust. Dent. J."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tarek, A. (2024). Fighting Emerging Caspofungin-Resistant Candida Species: Mitigating Fks1-Mediated Resistance and Enhancing Caspofungin Efficacy by Chitosan. Antibiotics, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics13070578"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lo, W.-H., Deng, F.-S., Chang, C.-J., and Lin, C. (2020). Synergistic Antifungal Activity of Chitosan with Fluconazole Against Candida Albicans, Candida Tropicalis, and Fluconazole-Resistant Strains. Molecules, 25.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25215114"},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.26452\/ijrps.v11i1.1814","article-title":"Formulation and Evaluation of Antifungal Agent in a Hydrogel Containing Nanoparticle of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan","volume":"11","author":"Saraf","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Res. Pharm. Sci."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ailincai, D., and Ro\u0219ca, I. (2023). New Hydrogels and Formulations Based on Piperonyl-Imino-Chitosan Derivatives. Polymers, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym15030753"},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Larkin, E., Hager, C., Chandra, J., Mukherjee, P.K., Retuerto, M., Salem, I., Long, L., Isham, N., Kovanda, L., and Borroto-Esoda, K. (2017). The Emerging Pathogen Candida auris: Growth Phenotype, Virulence Factors, Activity of Antifungals, and Effect of SCY-078, a Novel Glucan Synthesis Inhibitor, on Growth Morphology and Biofilm Formation. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 61.","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.02396-16"},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1111\/myc.13223","article-title":"Activities of Nine Antifungal Agents Against Candida auris Biofilms","volume":"64","author":"Chatzimoschou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Mycoses"},{"key":"ref_59","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Munir, S., Shah, A.A., Shahid, M., Manzoor, I., Aslam, B., Rasool, M.H., Saeed, M., Ayaz, S., and Khurshid, M. (2020). Quorum Sensing Interfering Strategies and Their Implications in the Management of Biofilm-Associated Bacterial Infections. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol., 63.","DOI":"10.1590\/1678-4324-2020190555"},{"key":"ref_60","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Paul, P., Chakraborty, P., Sarker, R.K., Chatterjee, A., Maiti, D., Das, A., Mandal, S., Bhattacharjee, S., Dastidar, D.G., and Tribedi, P. (2021). Tryptophan Interferes with the Quorum Sensing and Cell Surface Hydrophobicity of Staphylococcus Aureus: A Promising Approach to Inhibit the Biofilm Development. 3 Biotech, 11.","DOI":"10.1007\/s13205-021-02924-3"},{"key":"ref_61","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Szekalska, M., Sosnowska, K., Wr\u00f3blewska, M., Basa, A., and Winnicka, K. (2022). Does the Freeze\u2013Thaw Technique Affect the Properties of the Alginate\/Chitosan Glutamate Gels with Posaconazole as a Model Antifungal Drug?. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23126775"},{"key":"ref_62","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"367","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2017.12.021","article-title":"Synthesis and evaluation on pH-and temperature-responsive chitosan-p (MAA-co-NIPAM) hydrogels","volume":"108","author":"Rasib","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_63","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abd-Elsalam, K.A., Alghuthaymi, M.A., Shami, A., Rubina, M.S., Abramchuk, S.S., Shtykova, E.V., and Vasil\u2019kov, A.Y. (2020). Copper-Chitosan Nanocomposite Hydrogels Against Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus Flavus From Dairy Cattle Feed. J. Fungi, 6.","DOI":"10.3390\/jof6030112"},{"key":"ref_64","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, G., Zhang, D., and Qin, S. (2019). Preparation and Performance of Antibacterial Polyvinyl Alcohol\/Polyethylene Glycol\/Chitosan Hydrogels Containing Silver Chloride Nanoparticles via One-Step Method. Nanomaterials, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano9070972"},{"key":"ref_65","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, X., Song, R., Johnson, M., Sigen, A., He, Z., Milne, C., Wang, X., Lara-S\u00e1ez, I., Xu, Q., and Wang, W. (2021). An Injectable Chitosan-Based Self-Healable Hydrogel System as an Antibacterial Wound Dressing. Materials, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma14205956"},{"key":"ref_66","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50225","DOI":"10.1002\/app.50225","article-title":"Chitosan Hydrogel Loaded with Aloe vera gel and Tetrasodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) as the Wound Healing Material: In Vitro and In Vivo Study","volume":"138","author":"Salehi","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Appl. Polym. Sci."},{"key":"ref_67","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Guo, W. (2024). Recent Advances of Chitosan-Based Hydrogels for Skin-Wound Dressings. Gels, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/gels10030175"},{"key":"ref_68","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thirupathi, K., Raorane, C.J., Vanaraj, R., Ulagesan, S., Moorthy, M.S., Raj, V., Krishnakumar, G.S., Vy Phan, T.T., and Kim, S.-C. (2022). Update on Chitosan-Based Hydrogels: Preparation, Characterization, and Its Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Applications. Gels, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/gels9010035"},{"key":"ref_69","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Che, X. (2024). Application of Chitosan-Based Hydrogel in Promoting Wound Healing: A Review. Polymers, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym16030344"},{"key":"ref_70","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maevskaia, E.N., Burkova, N.V., Kuznetzov, S.I., Dresvyanina, E.N., Yudin, V.V., and Morganti, P. (2020). Hemocompatible Chitin-Chitosan Composite Fibers. Cosmetics, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/cosmetics7020028"},{"key":"ref_71","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Deshkar, S. (2023). Polyelectrolyte-Complex-Based Hydrogel Inserts for Vaginal Delivery of Posaconazole and Probiotics. Gels, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/gels9110851"},{"key":"ref_72","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e50010916964","DOI":"10.33448\/rsd-v10i9.16964","article-title":"Este Trabajo Se Centr\u00f3 en El Desarrollo De Envases Activos Biodegradables Con Mezclas De Poli (\u00c1cido L\u00e1ctico) (PLA), Poli (Etileno-Co-Acetato De Vinilo) (EVA), Polietilenglicol (PEG) Y Quitosano (QUI). Se Investigaron Las Caracter\u00edsticas Morfol\u00f3gicas T\u00e9rmicas Y Mec\u00e1nicas De Las Mezclas, As\u00ed Como, Al Mismo Tiempo, La Actividad Antif\u00fangica Del Envase. Para Evaluar La Actividad Antimicrobiana De Las Mezclas PLA\/EVA\/PEG\/QUI, Las Muestras Se Insertaron Entre Rebanadas De Pan Sin Conservantes Para Evaluar Su Vid","volume":"10","author":"Cavalli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Res. Soc. Dev."},{"key":"ref_73","first-page":"820","article-title":"Classification of Oral Ulcers and its Treatment by focusing on Exosome Loaded Hydrogel: A Comprehensive Review","volume":"4","author":"Shahid","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Health Rehabil. Res."},{"key":"ref_74","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1021\/acsanm.1c01013","article-title":"Eradication of Fungi Using MoSe2\/Chitosan Nanosheets","volume":"5","author":"Saha","year":"2022","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Nano Mater."}],"container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8247\/18\/4\/506\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:06:34Z","timestamp":1760029594000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8247\/18\/4\/506"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]]},"references-count":74,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ph18040506"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ph18040506","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8247"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8247","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]]}}}