Oral Microalgae-Laden Hydrogels Modulating the Intestinal Microbiota Metabolism for Acute Alcohol-Induced Liver...

Acute alcohol-induced liver injury (ALI) is an escalating global health concern driven by the absence of targeted therapies, difficulty in sustaining abstinence, and high mortality rate. Conventional treatments, such as corticosteroids and nutritional supplementation, remain suboptimal due to inconsistent efficacy, significant adverse effects, and limited understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. This work presents a living food-grade microalgae-laden hydrogel (FMH), fabricated from Chlorella pyrenoidosa (CP) and edible polysaccharides for the treatment of ALI. The natural polysaccharide scaffolds enable high-efficiency in situ autotrophic growth of microalgae, exhibiting a 2.7-time higher yield compared to conventional suspension culture. We validated the biosafety and nutritional functionality of the obtained FMH and confirmed its physiological and psychological contribution. The use of FMH as a dietary intervention alleviates ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity for acute ALI by modulating oxidative stress, restoring immune equilibrium, and normalizing gut microbiota. This system not only holds translational potential as a dietary intervention for ALI management, but also establishes an oral platform for the delivery of living biotherapeutics in emerging biomedical applications.