Photocontrol of Drug Release from Supramolecular Hydrogels with Green Light

Photoresponsive smart materials transform light energy into sophisticated functions. They find increasing biomedical applications in light-induced drug-release and photopharmacology, because they can provide the desired therapeutic effect locally due to precise spatiotemporal dosage control. However, the majority of reported studies rely on cytotoxic UV light that penetrates tissues poorly. Here, we report the first drug-releasing system based on photochromic low molecular weight supramolecular hydrogels that is triggered with visible light. We demonstrated green-light-induced release of structurally unmodified antibiotic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory drugs under physiological conditions. Using the antibiotic-loaded gel, we selectively inhibited bacterial growth with green light.