Ophiopogonis Radix fructan-selenium nanoparticles for dual amelioration of ulcerative colitis and anti-colon cancer.

Fructans demonstrate significant potential in preclinical models for treating inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer by modulating gut microbiota homeostasis. In this research, ORP-SeNPs were prepared through a redox method. Their roles as colon-targeted delivery carriers and stabilizers were examined for treating inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. ORP-SeNPs showed potent scavenging activity against ABTS· and DPPH· radicals and dose-dependently inhibited colon cancer Caco-2 cell proliferation by arresting growth in the S phase. Moreover, ORP-SeNPs significantly alleviated intestinal inflammation by modulating inflammatory cytokine homeostasis, reducing oxidative stress, repairing the intestinal barrier, and suppressing NF-κB/STAT-3 pathway activation. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for employing mixed fructans as drug carriers to treat inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer, extending the therapeutic applications of Ophiopogonis Radix in bowel disorders.