Polymeric microparticles as colonic delivery vehicles of butyrate-containing nanocapsules for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

• Grant number: 25/14267-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Suzana Gonçalves Carvalho
• Grantee: Marcela Reis de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of autoimmune diseases characterized by chronic inflammatory bowel processes, the main manifestations of which are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Considering that an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota is associated with the onset of various gastrointestinal conditions, there has been growing interest in the use of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics as modulators of the intestinal microbiome. Postbiotics refer to bioactive compounds produced or released by microorganisms during their metabolic activity, capable of promoting beneficial effects on the host organism, either directly or indirectly. Among these compounds, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) stand out, notable for their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties in the treatment of intestinal diseases. However, because they are low molecular weight molecules, SCFAs have clinical limitations related to their unfavorable pharmacokinetics, low selectivity of action, unpleasant taste and strong odor. In this context, the development of colon-targeted delivery systems has emerged as a promising alternative to provide localized and more effective therapeutic action of these compounds. The combination of approaches, such as the incorporation of butyrate nanocapsules into polysaccharide-based microparticles, aims to protect the system against variations in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and promote the controlled and specific release of post-biotics in the colon, configuring an innovative and promising technological strategy. In view of the above, the aim of the project is to microencapsulate nanocapsules containing butyrate using the ionotropic gelling technique, characterize them from a physicochemical point of view and evaluate their potential for colon-specific release.