Biomimetic nanocarriers for the therapy and management of intestinal inflammations

Intestinal inflammation particularly inflammatory bowel disease poses significant clinical challenges due to its chronic nature, limited treatment efficacy and adverse effects of conventional therapies like corticosteroids and biologics. Biomimetic nanocarriers have emerged as a transformative strategy to overcome these limitations by leveraging natural cell membranes for targeted drug delivery. This review critically examines the application of biomimetic nanocarriers as precision therapeutics for intestinal inflammation. We discuss key fabrication techniques including extrusion, sonication and microfluidics used to coat synthetic nanocarriers with membranes derived from several biological sources such as macrophages, neutrophils, platelets, stem cells and bacteria. These biomimetic coatings exploit inherent biological functions such as immune evasion, receptor-mediated binding to inflamed endothelium and responsiveness to inflammatory stimuli. Preclinical studies demonstrate that biomimetic nanocarriers effectively suppress pro-inflammatory pathways like NF-κB, NLRP3, sequester cytokines, promote mucosal healing and restore gut microbiota balance while minimizing systemic toxicity. Despite promising outcomes in animal models, clinical translation faces hurdles in membrane isolation standardization, long-term biosafety, and regulatory alignment. Future advancements require interdisciplinary efforts to optimize pharmacokinetics, enhance tissue-specific targeting, and integrate personalized designs. Biomimetic nanocarriers represent a paradigm shift toward disease-modifying therapies, offering potential for sustained remission in intestinal inflammation management.