Controlled release of Mitomycin C from modified cellulose based thermo-gel prevents post-operative de novo peritoneal adhesion

[Display omitted] •Thermo-gel was prepared using Mitomycin C, modified nanocellulose and methyl cellulose.•Mitomycin C was covalently attached with modified nanocellulose.•Optimum gelation, degradation, noncytotoxicity were verified by C2.5T1M0.2 hydrogel.•Controlled release of Mitomycin C from C2.5T1M0.2 hydrogel was confirmed.•C2.5T1M0.2 thermo-gel ensured de novo adhesion prevention in rat model. The complications from surgery associated peritoneal adhesion can be alleviated by combination of physical isolation and pharmaceutical treatment. This work aims to develop thermo-sensitive hydrogel barrier by combining mitomycin C (MMC) with modified tempo oxidized nanocellulose (cTOCN) through EDC/NHS-chemical conjugation followed by integration with methyl cellulose (MC). The MMC was successfully combined with cTOCN and ensured controlled release of MMC from hydrogel throughout 14 days. Amount of MC (1.5, 2.5, 3.5% w/v) was proportional to gelation time and inversely proportional to degradation of hydrogel. The optimized hydrogel (C2.5T1M0.2) needed only 30 s for thermoreversible sol-gel (4℃-37℃) phenomenon and did not show in vitro fibroblast cells toxicity as well as ensured complete adhesion prevention efficacy, reperitonealization in rat side wall-cecal abrasion model. Overall, the developed C2.5T1M0.2 thermo-gel advances state-of-the-art in view of cytocompatibility, mechanical stability, optimum degradation, good injectability, sustain drug release from surgical sites, and satisfactory de novo anti-adhesion capacity.