3 days ago
Researchers develop colon-targeted drug delivery system
Hyderabad: A team of researchers from Andhra Pradesh, in collaboration with scientists from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has developed a novel drug delivery system for colon cancer using cross-linked nanoparticles derived from mastic gum (MG)—a natural resin.
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Their findings were published in 'Nature Scientific Reports' under the title 'Enhanced colon-targeted drug delivery through development of 5-fluorouracil-loaded cross-linked mastic gum nanoparticles.'
The study, led by Nawaz Mahammed and T Reshma of Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Anantapur, centres on the targeted delivery of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)—a widely used chemotherapeutic agent—directly to the colon.
The goal is to maximise therapeutic efficacy while minimising systemic toxicity and off-target effects. Conventional oral formulations of 5-FU are prone to premature degradation in the upper gastrointestinal tract, limiting their utility for colon-specific cancers.
Encapsulation efficiency
The team formulated cross-linked mastic gum nanoparticles capable of encapsulating 5-FU and releasing it in a controlled, zero-order kinetic profile—ensuring a consistent and sustained release rate over time.
The formulation demonstrated an encapsulation efficiency of 83.5%, with an average particle size of 240 nanometres.
Importantly, 95.2% of the drug was released in a colon-targeted manner, underscoring the platform's promise for site-specific drug delivery.
Characterisation techniques, including fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confirmed successful cross-linking of the MG, while scanning electron microscopy revealed uniformly spherical nanoparticles—features that contribute to the system's stability and targeting precision.
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Among the various formulations evaluated, the cross-linked MG nanoparticles emerged as the most effective, demonstrating both structural integrity and optimal drug release characteristics. The study underscores the therapeutic potential of this approach in enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer while reducing systemic exposure and associated side-effects.
