Preparation of Polysaccharide–Protein Hydrogels with an Ultrafast Self-Healing Property as a Superior Oral Delivery System of Probiotics

Oral administration of probiotic supplements can effectively regulate intestinal disorders. However, harsh gastrointestinal conditions greatly limit the bioavailability of probiotics. In this work, biomass-derived polysaccharide-protein hydrogels (Dex-sBSA hydrogels) were constructed as an oral probiotic delivery system. The hydrogel encapsulation significantly promoted the growth and proliferation of probiotics and protected them from gastric acid, bile salts, reactive oxygen species, and antibiotics. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel encapsulation significantly enhanced the bioavailability of probiotics, of which the cell number in the intestine, colon, and cecum was 35 times, 8 times, and 203 times higher than the free one, respectively. Attributed to the superior ultrafast self-healing property, the Dex-sBSA hydrogel successfully prevented the probiotics from quick elimination and prolonged the retention time in the gut, providing great possibilities for colonization and proliferation. These results clearly indicate the great potential of the Dex-sBSA hydrogel as a superior oral delivery system for probiotics.