Nanomedicine for treating inflammatory bowel disease: Anti-inflammatory nanoparticles mimic glycocalyx

Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is on the rise worldwide. The benefits of current medications are limited by problematic side effects. A research team has now introduced a new method of treatment. It is based on nanoparticles that mimic a special carbohydrate layer (glycocalyx) located on inflamed bowel cells, and which trigger anti-inflammatory effects in the diseased sites in the intestine.