Novel oat β-glucan nanoparticles for diabetes-associated colitis therapy

The comorbidity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Diabetes Mellitus presents a formidable clinical challenge, as these conditions engage in vicious cycles mediated by intestinal barrier dysfunction, microbiota dysbiosis, and chronic inflammatory stress. This complex pathophysiological interplay substantially limits the efficacy of conventional monotherapeutic approaches. Therefore, we developed an innovative nanotherapeutic platform (BG@EGCG-Mn) that harnesses the synergistic potential of natural bioactive compounds. This platform combines the complementary biological activities of oat β-glucan (BG) and epigallocatechin gallate-Mn complex (EGCG-Mn). BG exerts multimodal therapeutic effects by modulating glucose absorption kinetics, thereby improving glycemic control and promoting intestinal barrier restoration through prebiotic mechanisms. Mn (Ⅱ) coordination stabilizes EGCG, preserving its dual therapeutic capacity: inhibition of α-glucosidase activity for hypoglycemia and potent free radical scavenging for anti-inflammatory action. The therapeutic mechanisms are distinctly complementary: BG primarily targets macroscopic barrier reconstruction and microbiota homeostasis, while EGCG-Mn operates at the cellular level to mitigate inflammation and metabolic dysregulation. Remarkably, BG@EGCG-Mn demonstrated robust therapeutic efficacy across multiple mice models, including acute UC, chronic UC, and diabetes-associated UC. This platform integrates four critical therapeutic modalities: hypoglycemic action, anti-inflammatory activity, barrier repair and gut microbiota modulation.This novel platform avoids antagonism in conventional drug combinations, significantly advancing treatment for metabolic-inflammatory diseases.