Marine phospholipid nanoliposomes mediate oral colonic delivery of 5-aminosalicylic acid and mitigate the severity of DSS-induced colitis in mouse models

5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is the preferred medication for treating mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, side effects and sometimes insufficient efficacy pose challenges. This study introduces chitosan-coated orally targeted marine phospholipid nanoliposomes grafted with Vit. E. TPGS for delivering 5-aminosalicylic acid to the inflamed mucosa in IBD treatment. MTL nanoliposomes were prepared by the thin film hydration method, exhibiting sizes of 165.8 ± 2.19 nm pre-coating and 259.5 ± 1.77 nm size post-coating. The nanoliposomes showed controlled drug release at intestinal pH, with minimal release in the simulated gastric medium. They demonstrated excellent stability over a 45-day storage period. In vitro , cytocompatibility studies with L929 cells and ex vivo studies with RBCs showed excellent biocompatibility . MTL nanoliposomes showed selective deposition in inflamed RAW 264.7 macrophages and time-dependent uptake in Caco2 intestinal cells. In vitro, anti-inflammatory experiments significantly reduced inflammatory biomarkers like TNF-α, IL1-β, IL-6, and ROS. In vivo, DSS-induced colitis studies demonstrated improved colitis indices, colonic tissue change restoration, and myeloperoxidase activity inhibition. These findings underscore the potential of MTL nanoliposomes as a promising targeted delivery system for 5-aminosalicylic acid in treating IBD.