Mucoadhesive Hydrogel with Anti-gastric Acid and Sustained-Release Functions for Amelioration of DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Mucoadhesive hydrogels with multifunctional properties such as gastric acid resistance and sustained drug release in the intestinal tract are highly desirable for the oral treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Polyphenols are proven to have great efficacies compared with the first-line drugs for IBD treatments. We recently reported that gallic acid (GA) was capable of forming a hydrogel. However, this hydrogel is prone to easy degradation and poor adhesion in vivo. To tackle this problem, the current study introduced sodium alginate (SA) to form a gallic acid/sodium alginate hybrid hydrogel (GAS). As expected, the GAS hydrogel showed excellent antiacid, mucoadhesive, and sustained degradation properties in the intestinal tract. In vitro studies demonstrated that the GAS hydrogel significantly alleviated ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. The colonic length of the GAS group (7.75 ± 0.38 cm) was significantly longer than that of the UC group (6.12 ± 0.25 cm). The disease activity index (DAI) value of the UC group was (5.5 ± 0.57), which was markedly higher than that of the GAS group (2.5 ± 0.65). The GAS hydrogel also could inhibit the expression of inflammatory cytokines, regulating macrophage polarization and improving the intestinal mucosal barrier functions. All these results indicated that the GAS hydrogel was an ideal candidate for oral treatment of UC.

Preparation of Polysaccharide–Protein Hydrogels with an Ultrafast Self-Healing Property as a Superior Oral Delivery System of Probiotics

“…Caco-2 cell-specific medium was used as culture media for Caco-2 cells. DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin was used for culturing IEC-6 cells …”

“…DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin was used for culturing IEC-6 cells. 42 2.4.2. Cell Viability Assay.…”

Advancements in hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: a review

“…6). Huang et al 226 designed mucosal adhesion hydrogels with multifunctional properties such as gastric acid tolerance and sustained drug release from the intestine. As expected, the hydrogel exhibited intestinal adhesion capabilities and alleviated ulcerative colitis through immunomodulatory effects such as suppression of inflammatory cytokine expression and regulation of macrophage polarization (Fig.…”

Fabrication of the Rapid Self-Assembly Hydrogels Loaded with Luteolin: Their Structural Characteristics and Protection Effect on Ulcerative Colitis

“…Zhang et al, also developed a drug delivery system using a hyaluronic acid/gelatin hydrogel to extend the presence of curcumin in the digestive system [50]. Another research study found that a hydrogel created from a combination of gallic acid and sodium alginate exhibited impressive mucoadhesive properties and was able to effectively remain in the intestinal tract for an extended period of time [51]. Therefore, due to their mechanical strength and adhesive properties, hydrogels may help establish a gastrointestinal sustained release delivery system for certain pharmaceutical ingredients.…”