Recent advances in nanocarrier systems for ulcerative colitis: A new era of targeted therapy and biomarker integration

The treatment of gastrointestinal diseases with pharmacological interventions presents several challenges. Ulcerative colitis is a prime cause of inflammation in the colonic region. Individuals with this condition typically have thin mucus layers, making them more susceptible to pathogenic invasions. Integrated biomarkers provide an extensive assessment of disease activity, progression, and response to treatment and offer a more accurate and personalized understanding of the disease, leading to improved diagnosis, targeted therapy, and better patient management. Conventional therapeutic approaches have failed to manage the disease symptoms effectively for many patients, impacting their quality of life significantly. This difficulty mainly arises from the inability of traditional therapies to target and deliver drugs to the colonic site accurately. In this context, targeted carriers are necessary. Smart nanomaterials with responsive properties are being investigated to concentrate therapeutic drugs in inflamed colon areas, including pH-responsive, ROS-responsive, enzyme-responsive, and thermo-responsive nanocarrier systems. The evolution of nanotechnology has enabled the creation of responsive smart nanocarriers, allowing for the controlled release of medications, reducing systemic absorption, and preventing drugs' undesirable distribution to healthy tissues. The latest advancements in responsive nanocarrier systems have given rise to multi-responsive mechanisms, including dual-responsive nanocarriers. These improvements have improved the interplay between biological tissues and smart nanocarriers, resulting in superior targeting and significant cellular intake of therapeutic agents. This article provides insight into current drug delivery systems that use various nanocarriers, highlighting their potential in managing ulcerative colitis and emphasizing the role of diagnostic biomarkers in assessing and optimizing the disease's treatment.