Spore-inspired inhalation drug delivery system for asthma therapy

The delivery efficiency of drugs in the lung is crucial for inhaled therapies targeting pulmonary diseases. However, current inhalation carriers face challenges overcoming pulmonary barriers, leading to insufficient delivery efficiency. To tackle this limitation, we have developed a "spore-inspired" strategy. Ganoderma lucidum spores (GLS) provide dual delivery advantages: their natural morphology promotes bronchial-alveolar deposition while evading macrophage endocytosis, enhancing pulmonary retention. Using these features, a biomimetic carrier called carbonized GLS (cGLS) is created through precise carbonization, which preserves the spores' natural morphological benefits while reducing the immune response and increasing drug-loading capacity. Subsequently, we develop the spore-inspired inhalation drug delivery system BUD-cGLS by loading the asthma medication budesonide (BUD), which facilitates accurate regulation of the "deposition-escape-release" process. In the OVA-induced asthma model, BUD-cGLS significantly reduces airway resistance, suppresses mucin secretion, and decreases inflammatory cytokines. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of this spore-inspired carrier as a promising inhalation platform for delivering drugs to treat asthma and other pulmonary diseases.