Smart nanoparticles deliver antibiotics directly to H. pylori
Helicobacter pylori bacteria infect around half the global population and are a leading cause of stomach ulcers and gastric cancer. While antibiotics remain the standard treatment, they often fail to reach bacteria hidden beneath the stomach's protective mucus layer and deep within ulcer tissue. This often requires higher antibiotic doses, increasing the risk of adverse effects and antibiotic…
Helicobacter pylori bacteria infect around half of the world's population and cause stomach ulcers and cancer. Antibiotics typically fail to reach bacteria deep within ulcers protected by mucus, requiring higher doses and increasing the risk of side effects and resistance. To overcome this, researchers at Pusan National University created polydopamine-functionalized, clarithromycin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles that deliver antibiotics specifically to the infection site.
Dr. Jin-Wook Yoo, the lead author, explains that the nanoparticles surpass the stomach's mucus barrier and precisely target the bacteria, enabling localized therapy. The nanoparticles, fabricated via nanoprecipitation followed by polydopamine coating, were thoroughly analyzed for size, morphology, surface chemistry, stability, drug loading, and release profile.
In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies showed they penetrated the mucus, adhered to bacteria, retained in the stomach, reached ulcer tissue up to 400 micrometers, and achieved nearly 100% bacterial reduction. Using only 10% of the clarithromycin needed for conventional treatments, these nanoparticles reduced H. pylori significantly, accelerated healing, and regenerated tissue.
The study suggests this precision local delivery platform could treat other diseases limited by biological barriers, offering safer, more effective, and lower-dose antibiotic therapies.
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