title: Recent advances in complementary and replacement therapy with nutraceuticals in combating gastrointestinal illnesses.
abstract: The digestive system provides nourishment to the whole body. Disorders in this system would result in many associated illnesses as the body is deprived of essential nutrients. Gastrointestinal diseases, in particular, gastric ulceration, inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer have become more prevalent in all population age groups. While this can be attributed to diet and lifestyle changes, the measures to combat these illnesses with conventional drugs is losing popularity owing to the harsh side effects, drug resistance and lack of patient compliance. The focus of this review is to endorse promising nutraceutical dietary components such as phytosterols, polyphenols, anthocyanins and polyunsaturated fatty acids and their synergistic value, in combination with conventional management of key gastrointestinal diseases. As most of these nutraceuticals are labile compounds, the need for protection and delivery using a carrier system is stressed and the methods for targeting to specific parts of the gastrointestinal tract are discussed. A section has also been devoted to perspectives on co-encapsulation methods of drugs and nutraceuticals using different particle systems. Multilayered carrier systems like double layered and core shell particles have been proposed as an exemplary system to co-encapsulate both drugs and nutrients while keeping them segregated.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 693798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 693798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kaarunya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sampathkumar
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 693798, Singapore; Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore. Electronic address: joachimloo@ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Say Chye Joachim
authors.initials: SCJ
authors.lastname: Loo
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000639:trends; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D018565:Food-Drug Interactions; D005756:Gastritis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents
keywords: Co-encapsulation; Dietary agent; Gastrointestinal disease; Nutraceutical; Synergy