Researchers at the College of Community Health Sciences have developed a bio-engineered molecule that uses a natural compound to both target and treat inflammation in the body.
Naringenin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, has long been recognized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but our bodies do a poor job of absorbing the compound in the form of food or currently available supplements.
Normally, naringenin starts to break down in the stomach’s acidic environment. The small amount left intact has trouble crossing the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. The CCHS team of researchers were able to successfully unlock naringenin’s inflammation-fighting properties.
“This is the first time a single molecule has been used to both guide and heal,” said Dr. Meenakshi Arora, an associate professor of biomedical sciences with CCHS and the project’s lead researcher. “Our dual-function nanoparticles not only deliver the drug more efficiently but also restore immune balance and reduce tissue damage.”
The study, published in Science Advances, uses a patented method of encasing medicine in a biodegradable polymer shell developed by UA’s Drug Research and Engineering for Advanced Medicine Laboratory. The outside of this shell is decorated with additional molecules of naringenin, functioning as ligands, that bind to specialized receptors found on cell surfaces throughout the gut.
The CCHS team found that naringenin is an effective ligand binder to a certain kind of receptor. These receptors are the gateways that allow the medicine in rather than locking it out.
Promising Results in Kidney Injury Models
Using a mouse model with acute kidney injury induced by cisplatin, a common chemotherapy drug, the researchers demonstrated that their dual-function nanoparticles:
Reduced
kidney damage and inflammation.
Lowered
levels of key inflammatory markers.
Restored
immune cell function and reversed immune exhaustion.
Achieved
therapeutic effects at half the dose compared to conventional formulations.
Results suggested the treatment not only fights inflammation but actively promotes healing in both kidneys and liver. For cancer patients, this could mean fewer side effects and less recovery time needed between treatments, with a supplement they can take at home.
Almost all components of the dual function naringenin particle are currently in human use, making it easier to navigate the regulatory path. The team is always working to test the particle against other health conditions, including cancer.
“One of the benefits of this system is that it is highly tunable,” said Dr. Raghu Ganugula, assistant professor of biomedical sciences with CCHS and the team’s molecular pharmacologist. “We can adjust it based on drug concentrations and ligand receptor interactions.”
The study’s findings have implications for a wide range of inflammatory conditions, including autoimmune disorders, sepsis, arthritis and liver disease.
“Ultimately, this research provides a powerful proof-of-concept for a new class of oral drug delivery systems that could lead to more effective and lower-dose treatments for inflammatory diseases,” Arora said.
She and Ganugula are also a research scientists with UA’s Center for Convergent Bioscience & Medicine.
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