β-Cyclodextrin-based Stimuli-Responsive Nanogels for Gymnema sylvestre: Therapeutic Potential and Safety evaluation in Diabetic conditions

Historically, herbal medicines have played a significant role in treating various illnesses. Specifically concerning diabetes, numerous plant-based remedies have been utilized to regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. However, despite their popularity, many herbal medicines have poor solubility, leading to low bioavailability and the need for higher or repeated dosing, which can limit their therapeutic viability. Gymnema sylvestre, a well-known herb with a history in diabetes management, contains gymnemic acids face bioavailability challenges due to limited solubility, impacting it clinical efficacy. This study focuses on enhancing Gymnema sylvestre’s solubility and bioavailability using stimuli responsive nanogels with β-Cyclodextrin, cross-linked with Methacrylic Acids (MAA) through free radical polymerization. The optimized formulation NGT4, showed favorable characteristics: high drug entrapment, increased solubility, and a particle size of 201nm. Analytical methods like FTIR, TGA/DSC, SEM, and PXRD confirmed the successful polymeric network and stable nanogel properties. In vitro release studies in acidic and basic media demonstrate controlled drug release, while in vivo tests confirmed the nanogel’s safety, biocompatibility, and effective hypoglycemic effects. These findings suggest that pH-responsive nanogels are promising approach to improve the solubility and therapeutic performance of Gymnema sylvestre in diabetes management.