Self-assembled nanoparticles of costunolide and glycyrrhizic acid for enhanced ulcerative colitis treatment

Abstract Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a persistent inflammatory condition that specifically targets the colon and rectum. Existing therapies fail to adequately address the clinical requirements of people suffering from this ailment. Despite the acknowledged potential of nanomedicines in the field of anti-inflammatory treatment, their widespread use in clinical settings is impeded by their expensive nature and the uncertainty surrounding their safety profiles. This study illustrates that two naturally occurring phytochemicals, Costunolide (COS) and Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), form carrier-free, multifunctional spherical nanoparticles (NPs) through noncovalent interactions, such as π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding. The COS-GA NPs displayed a synergistic anti-inflammatory effect, providing much more evidently improved therapeutic benefits for dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC mice due to more effective reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress than did equal dosages of COS or GA used alone. In addition, COS-GA NPs have biocompatibility and biosafety properties unique to them. This study will serve as affirmation of the potential of COS-GA NPs as innovative natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and also such agents as drug discovery in UC, leading possibly to better outcomes in people living with this disabling condition.