Near-infrared light-controllable bufalin delivery from a black phosphorus-hybrid supramolecular hydrogel for synergistic photothermal-chemo tumor therapy

Bufalin is efficacious in treating various tumors, however, the clinical application of which is restricted by the myocardial toxicity. Developing a smart synergetic delivery system is widely considered as a promising therapeutic strategy. To address this issue, a black phosphorus hybrid polypeptides hydrogel was designed to highly load bufalin, and achieved near-infrared (NIR)-controllable drug release with synergistic photothermal-chemo therapeutic effect. Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) and bufalin were co-loaded in temperature-sensitive supramolecular hydrogel to receive smart hybridization (BP-bufalin@SH). With NIR irradiation (1 W·cm−2), BP-bufalin@SH exhibited a rapid and large temperature increase and released bufalin via light-controllable manner, with which the side effects of bufalin were greatly decreased. Combined with photothermal-chemo therapeutic effect, BP-bufalin@SH could collapse the mitochondrial transmembrane potential resulting in the irreversible apoptosis of tumor cells, and realize a highly efficient in vivo tumor elimination with good biosafety and biocompatibility. This work provides a new hydrogel platform for controlling bufalin release, and thus further promotes the practical application on antitumor therapy.