Hydrogel cubes are now considered essential instruments in medication delivery and release applications because of their distinct characteristics and adaptable capabilities. These polymer networks have a three-dimensional structure and are hydrophilic. They are very compatible with living organisms, allowing for controlled and continuous drug release, which is important for sustaining treatment effectiveness. Hydrogel cubes provide robust structural integrity and mechanical stability, enabling their customization into a wide range of forms and sizes. The hydrogel cube was prepared using chitosan (2%), polyvinyl alcohol (10%) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (1%). The solutions were mixed on a magnetic stirrer with heating until a homogenous solution was obtained. After that 0.5% glutaraldehyde was added to crosslink the hydrogel and casted in a cube shaped mold. The study analyzed hydrogel swelling properties, drug release profile, antioxidant activity, antidiabetic activity and hemolytic compatibility. Hydrogel demonstrated higher swelling properties in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution, 50% drug release in 120 minutes, 38.55% antioxidant activity, 40.21% antidiabetic activity, and no hemolysis. The results from the study demonstrated that the developed hydrogel can be used for further studies using animal trials or product development.
