Surface Modified Lipid Nanoparticle-Mediated Site-Specific Drug Delivery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a physiological condition characterized by a collection of recurrent, chronic gastrointestinal illnesses, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Due to the pharmacological complexity behind its progression and incurable status, IBD presents significant treatment challenges and is pathologically characterized by intestinal inflammation and epithelial damage. Conventional approaches rely on administering anti-inflammatory medications in large quantities repeatedly over longer periods, which invariably leads to adverse effects. Hence, it is necessary to create new therapeutic approaches and drug delivery technologies that can increase therapeutic benefits while concurrently reducing adverse effects. The development of nanotechnology has created new opportunities in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD because nanoparticles (NPs) possess specific physicochemical characteristics, such as target specificity for inflamed tissue or organs, and the ability to modify the pharmacokinetic properties of conventional drugs for a better ADME profile. This chapter provides a summary of recent findings regarding polymeric matrix-based carriers and drug delivery systems that target specific ligands. We also discuss the challenges we currently face and the potential directions for growth.