Research on Polysaccharide–Protein Composite Hydrogels for Gastrointestinal Targeted Delivery: A Review

Polysaccharide-protein composite hydrogels have demonstrated remarkable potential in targeted gastrointestinal delivery owing to their excellent biocompatibility, adjustable physicochemical characteristics, and intelligent responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the underlying mechanisms and diverse applications of these composite hydrogels in gastrointestinal targeted delivery, with a particular emphasis on their stimuli-responsive release behaviors triggered by internal and external factors such as pH, enzymes, magnetic fields. Special attention is also given to their advantages in protecting sensitive bioactive ingredients, including curcumin, EGCG, probiotics. Furthermore, this review highlights their capabilities in achieving high encapsulation efficiency, smart controlled release and targeted delivery, while also presenting current challenges associated with material stability, targeting precision, large-scale production, and clinical translation. Finally, future perspectives are discussed, focusing on the development of multi-response system design, innovative biomaterials, advanced manufacturing technology applications, and AI-assisted optimization. These directions aim to provide theoretical foundations and technical strategies for advanced research and practical applications of polysaccharide-protein composite hydrogels in a targeted gastrointestinal delivery system. Overall, this review underscores the significant promise of polysaccharide-protein composite hydrogels as intelligent gastrointestinal delivery platforms and provides a systematic reference for their rational design and future translational development.