Saffron and Tepals Nanodrugs as new therapeutic approach in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: a pilot study
Progetto Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, is a chronic,relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract resulting from a loss of homeostasisbetween the intestinal immune system and the gut microbiome. The efficacious treatment of IBD, whichcan be progressive and very debilitating, is one of the most challenging health problems for humansworldwide. New treatment options and new drugs for IBD are continually being explored. However,chemically synthesized drugs are always accompanied by adverse reactions. Therefore, in the searchfor new pharmacologically active substances, natural ingredients and their extracts are receiving greatattention because they can effectively treat IBD. Great efforts should focus on studies aimed atidentifying specific molecular pathways involved in the etiopathogenesis of the disease and with whichnatural molecules could interfere. Among the natural products, saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) hasbeen used for health management since ancient times because of its several pharmacological effectssuch as anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant and neuroprotectiveactivity. In particular, saffron also showed significant efficacy in peptic ulcer and ulcerative colitis.Recently, data obtained using a multidisciplinary approach provided evidence that saffron chemicalcomposition is critical for its efficacy in neurodegenerative diseases and a combination of componentsappear essential to reach the best protection and increase tissue resilience. This project proposes thedevelopment of saffron extracts and the evaluation of their efficacy as co-adjuvant treatment in IBD.Experiments will be performed using approaches from different disciplines to unambiguously define themost active compounds and their chemical characteristics. Both saffron and tepals extracts will beinvestigated to test the utility of the whole flower, thus assessing and eventually exploiting, the potentialof the waste product generated in the production of the saffron spice. The chemical composition andbiological effect of both extracts will be fully assessed. The extracts will be tested as such or in the formof liposomal formulations on intestinal cells models exposed to pro-inflammatory noxa to evaluate theirefficacy on the modulation of molecular pathways involved in IBD immune cells trafficking. The inclusionof the extracts in liposomes can enhance their bioavailability and gastrointestinal absorption by oraladministration protecting them in the harsh gastric environment, increasing their permeation andsustaining their release in the gastrointestinal tract. The formulation that will give the best results in vitrowill be tested on patients. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to optimize the results and offer topatients a well-characterized and effective product.