Work

Exploiting marine phospholipid nanoliposomes for enhanced apremilast delivery and therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Marine phospholipid (MPL) nanoliposomes represent a new frontier in drug delivery systems , offering unique bio-functional and physicochemical properties. This study developed orally administered MPL nanoliposomes to enhance apremilast delivery and bioavailability in inflamed bowel disease (IBD). Drug release studies showed effective gastric protection (21.2 ± 0.4 % release at pH 1.2 after 2 h) and substantial release (96.4 ± 0.3 %) at pH 6.8 over 12 h. The optimized formulation (4 % drug w/w) showed remarkable stability over 6 weeks of storage at 4 °C. Apr/MPL nanoliposomes up to 300 µg/mL showed great cytocompatibility to RAW 264.7 macrophages and Caco2 intestinal cells. Furthermore, the formulation exhibited superior anti-inflammatory effects, significantly reducing nitric oxide (NO) production and downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. In vivo , Apr/MPL nanoliposomes improved recovery in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis model, outperforming free apremilast . These findings underscore MPL nanoliposomes as a promising pharmacological tool for managing inflammation and a versatile drug delivery system for IBD.

Source: Colloids and Surfaces A Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.136967