# Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Green-Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles and Ericaria selaginoides Extract for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

## TL;DR

This paper explores using gold nanoparticles made with seaweed extract to treat inflammatory bowel disease by reducing inflammation and oxidation in a mouse model.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel green-synthesized Au@ES formulation with therapeutic potential for IBD.

## Key findings

- Au@ES significantly reduced macroscopic and microscopic inflammation in a Crohn's disease mouse model.
- Au@ES normalized inflammatory cytokine expression and protected glial cells in the myenteric plexus.
- Au@ES reduced neutrophil activation and oxidative stress markers like myeloperoxidase and lipid peroxidation.

## Abstract

Addressing disease remission and treatment adherence in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), such as Crohn’s disease, poses significant challenges due to underlying oxidative and inflammatory processes. Nanotechnology emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing therapeutic outcomes in IBD by optimizing drug bioactivity, reducing toxicity, and extending circulation time. Gold nanoparticles, known for their resistance to gastrointestinal pH and possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, offer particular promise. They can be produced by green synthesis with seaweed Ericaria selaginoides (ES), itself associated with gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. In a murine model of Crohn’s disease induced with 8% acetic acid, pretreatment with dexamethasone (0.2 mL/30 g) or Au@ES (25 and 50 mg/kg) effectively mitigated inflammatory features. Notably, ES (50 mg/kg) and Au@ES (50 mg/kg) administration resulted in significant reductions in both macroscopic and microscopic inflammation scores compared to the disease control group. Furthermore, these treatments normalized inflammatory cytokine expression while safeguarding myenteric plexus glial cells. They also impeded neutrophil activation, leading to reduced myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxidation, coupled with increased glutathione levels. In conclusion, ES and Au@ES exhibit potent efficacy in counteracting inflammation and oxidation processes in an experimental Crohn’s disease model, suggesting their potential as alternative therapeutic strategies for IBD.