Rhamnolipid/Fullerene Nanocomposites as Potent Radical Scavengers for Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis Prevention: A Low-Dose Therapeutic Approach.

As a common recurrent disease of ulcerative colitis (UC), acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) causes long-term pain and heavy economic losses to patients. Although fullerene (C60) is considered an excellent antioxidant, its therapeutic application in UC is often hindered by absorption challenges due to intestinal mucosal damage. Here, we report the superior effect of rhamnolipid hybrid C60 (RL/C60) nanocomposites on preventing ASUC. Benefiting from their high hydrophilicity and uniform particle size, RL/C60 shows a remarkable free-radical-scavenging ability in vitro, biological safety, and intracellular anti-inflammatory ability, which was better than those of the common medication 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). In vivo experimental results further demonstrated that prophylactic oral administration of low-dose (0.4 mg/kg) RL/C60 successfully alleviated ASUC symptoms in mice to a level close to health by repairing intestinal mucosa and reducing inflammatory cytokine levels. Our findings highlight RL/C60 as a promising nanotherapeutic strategy for preventing ASUC, offering a safer and more effective alternative to conventional treatments.