Low-molecular-mass gelators, due to their excellent biocompatibility,
low toxicological profile, innate biodegradability and ease of fabrication
have garnered significant interest as they self-assemble through non-covalent
interactions. In this study, we have designed and synthesized a series
of six α-amidoamides by varying the hydrophobic alkyl chain
length (C12–C22), which were well characterized
using different spectral techniques. These α-amidoamides formed
self-assembled aggregates in a DMSO/water solvent system affording
organo/hydrogels at 0.66% w/v, which is the minimum gelation concentration
(MGC) making them as remarkable supergelators. The various functionalities
present in these gelators such as amides and alkyl chain length pave
the way toward excellent gelation mechanism through hydrogen bonding
and van der Waals interaction as evidenced from FTIR spectroscopy.
Notably, as the chain length increased, organo/hydrogels became more
thermally stable. Rheological results showed that the stability and
strength of these gelators were considerably impacted by variations
in chain length. The SEM morphology revealed dense sheet architectures
of the organo/hydrogel samples. Organo/hydrogels have a significant
impact on the advancement of innovative drug delivery systems that
respond to various stimuli, ushering in a new era in pharmaceutical
technology. Inspired by this, we encapsulated curcumin, a chemopreventive
medication, into the gel core and further released via gel-to-sol transition induced by pH variation at 37 °C, without
any alteration in structure–activity relationship. The drug
release behavior was observed by UV–vis spectroscopy. Moreover,
cell viability and cell invasion experiments demonstrate that the
gel formulations exhibit high biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity.
Among the tested formulations, 5e+Cur exhibited remarkable
efficacy in controlling A549 cell migration, suggesting significant
potential for applications in the pharmaceutical industry.