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Review
. 2025 Jan;113(1):e37785.
doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.37785. Epub 2024 Aug 29.

Zein: Potential biopolymer in inflammatory bowel diseases

Nimeet Desai  1 , Smit Nayi  2 , Dignesh Khunt  2 , Devesh U Kapoor  3 , Sagar Salave  1 , Bhupendra Prajapati  4   5 , Chintan Vora  6 , Rishabha Malviya  7 , Rahul Maheshwari  8 , Ravi Patel  2
Affiliations
Review

Zein: Potential biopolymer in inflammatory bowel diseases

Nimeet Desai et al. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2025 Jan.

Abstract

Effectively managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) poses difficulties due to its persistent nature and unpredictable episodes of exacerbation. There is encouraging evidence that personalized medication delivery systems can improve therapy efficacy while reducing the negative effects of standard medicines. Zein, a protein produced from corn, has garnered interest as a possible means of delivering drugs for the treatment of IBD. This review delves into Zein-based drug delivery systems, showcasing its biodegradability, controlled release capabilities, and biocompatibility. Studies have shown that Zein-based nanoparticles, microcarriers, and core-shell microparticles have the capacity to increase medication stability, enhance targeting in the intestines, and decrease toxicity in animal models of IBD. The review highlights the promise of Zein in personalized therapy for IBD and urges more study to enhance its clinical use.

Keywords: Zein; biopolymer; inflammatory bowel disease; tailored drug delivery; targeted therapy.

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References

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