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Transformation of Probiotic Yeast and Their Recovery from Gastrointestinal Immune Tissues Following Oral Gavage in Mice
Published on: February 8, 2016
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Development of a Novel Oral Delivery Vehicle for Probiotics
Kevin Enck1, Surya Banks1, Hariom Yadav2
1Center for Functional Materials, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
|February 11, 2020
Summary
This study developed a novel alginate hydrogel for targeted oral probiotic delivery. The hydrogel protects probiotics in stomach acid and releases them in the intestine, offering a new platform for gut health therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Effective oral drug delivery is crucial for therapeutics, especially probiotics.
- Probiotics require protection from stomach acid for targeted intestinal delivery.
- The gut microbiota's role in diseases like IBD, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders is a growing research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a novel delivery system for ingested probiotics using a chemically-modified alginate hydrogel.
- The hydrogel is engineered for stability in acidic environments and disintegration in neutral-basic pH.
Main Methods:
- Encapsulation of bacterial cells within the modified alginate hydrogel.
- In vitro studies simulating stomach acid and intestinal fluid conditions were performed.
Main Results:
- The chemically modified alginate hydrogel demonstrated resistance to acidic conditions, protecting encapsulated bacterial cells.
- The hydrogel effectively disintegrated under neutral-basic pH, releasing viable bacteria.
Conclusions:
- The developed alginate hydrogel serves as a viable proof-of-concept for targeted oral probiotic delivery.
- This platform enables further in vivo studies to evaluate therapeutic bacterial efficacy for various diseases.
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