Thiolated Chitosan as an Intestinal Absorption Carrier with Hesperidin Encapsulation for Obesity Treatment

Abstract

Obesity is characterized as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation harmful to one’s health, linked to hormonal imbalances, cardiovascular illness, and coronary artery disease. Since the disease stems mainly from overconsumption, studies have aimed to control intestinal absorption as a route for treatment. In this study, chitosan-thioglycolic acid (CT) was developed as a physical barrier in the gastrointestinal tracts to inhibit nutrient uptake. CT exhibits a superior mucoadhesive property compared to chitosan both in vitro and in vivo for the ability to form disulfide bonds with the intestinal mucosa. For CT as a potential drug delivery platform, hesperidin, a herb for bodyweight control in traditional Chinese medication, is encapsulated in CT and can be released consistently from this absorption barrier. In animal studies, CT encapsulated with hesperidin (CTH) not only results in a weight-controlling effect but limits adipose accumulation by hindering absorption, suggesting a potential role in obesity treatment. Neither CT nor CTH exhibit cytotoxicity or produce adverse immunological reactions in vivo.

Current Role and Potential of Polymeric Biomaterials in Clinical Obesity Treatment

“…Nevertheless, numerous studies mentioned are still in their infancy, with tremendous challenges and trials awaiting to be overcome before going into the market. Generally, most of these studies are validated merely by small animal models, such as the HFD mice model. , Therefore, though showing promising results, large mammals and human clinical trials are still required for understanding the feasibility compared with the therapeutics themselves. Furthermore, how to achieve higher reproducibility, standardized procedures, and large-scale production for industrial manufacturing is another challenge for practical application.…”

“…Even though biomaterials are generally safe, unregulated or excess accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts may still pose a potential risk for patients. Although researchers have claimed to visualize the degradation and excretion of materials in a chronological manner (i.e., using the in vivo imaging system, IVIS), it is still not clear whether they can exit the body entirely. ,, After all, in vivo imaging was merely the visualization of fluorescent compounds instead of the materials. Perhaps immunohistochemistry staining and chemical analysis of the intestine tissue would help provide a clearer understanding of the residual debris.…”

“…To elaborate, polymeric biomaterials are gaining encouraging prospects due to their versatility in tailoring the physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and self-assembly properties that enable a rapid synthesis . Researchers have engineered biomaterials to comply with the microenvironment in vivo, creating innovative strategies to aid the clinical practice of obesity management . The growing interest in this field of research has led to tremendous positive outcomes, with numerous studies resulting in startups and clinical trials .…”

“…6 Researchers have engineered biomaterials to comply with the microenvironment in vivo, creating innovative strategies to aid the clinical practice of obesity management. 12 The growing interest in this field of research has led to tremendous positive outcomes, with numerous studies resulting in startups and clinical trials. 13 In this Review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of obesity treatment approaches, focusing primarily on pharmaceuticals, biomaterial-based carriers, and bariatric surgeries, followed by novel biomaterial strategies inspired by their mechanisms.…”

From Static to Dynamic: A Review on the Role of Mucus Heterogeneity in Particle and Microbial Transport

“…The degradation process is also dependent on the molecular weight of chitosan derivatives during mucus clearance, suggesting that the physical motion between mucus and chitosan might play an extra role on degradation. There are many other chitosan derivatives, including trimethyl chitosan, , carboxymethyl chitosan, − thiolated chitosan, − acrylated chitosan, − half-acetylated chitosan, , glycol chitosan, − chitosan conjugates, − chitosan–catechol, , methylpyrrolidinone chitosan, , cyclodextrin–chitosan − and oleoyl-quaternized chitosan, that enhance the mucoadhesive properties and improve the particle transport through the McLs. Airway and intestinal mucosal organoids along with oral mucosal organoids have great potential for high-efficient drug delivery system design.…”