PVA/Dextran hydrogel patches as delivery system of antioxidant astaxanthin: a cardiovascular approach
Aftermyocardial infarction, the heart’smechanical properties and its intrinsic capability to recover are
compromised.To improve this recovery, several groups have developed cardiac patches based on different
biomaterials strategies.Here, we developed polyvinylalcohol/dextran (PVA/Dex) elastic hydrogel patches,
obtained through the freeze thawing (FT) process, with the aimto deliver locally a potent natural
antioxidantmolecule, astaxanthin, and to assist the heart’s response against the generatedmyofibril stress.