Controlled Nutrient Delivery through a pH-Responsive Wood Vehicle

To lower the risk of disease and improve health, many nutrients benefit from intestinal-targeted delivery. Here, we present a nutrient-delivery system based on a pH-responsive wood scroll, in which nutrients are stored, protected, and controllably released through the rolled structure and natural microchannels of a flexible wood substrate, thus ensuring higher bioactivity as well as prolonged steady release of the nal nutrient load to the intestine. We loaded the wood's natural microchannels with probiotics as a proof-of-concept demonstration. The probiotic-loaded wood scrolls can survive the simulated conditions of the stomach with a high survival rate (95.40%) and exhibit prolonged release (8 h) of the probiotic load at a constant release rate (4.17 x 10(8) CFUs/h) in the simulated conditions of the intestine. Moreover, by modifying the macroscopic geometry and microstructures of the wood scrolls, both the nutrient loading and release behaviors can be tuned over a wide range for customized or personalized nutrient management. The wood scrolls can also deliver other types of nutrients, as we demonstrate for tea polyphenols and rapeseed oil. This wood scroll design illustrates a promising structurally controlled strategy for the delivery of enteric nutrients using readily available, low-cost, and biocompatible biomass materials that have a naturally porous structure for nutrient storage, protection, and controlled release.

Automated summary

In this study, a nutrient-delivery system based on a pH-responsive wood scroll was designed for targeted delivery of nutrients to the intestine. The wood scroll allows for storage, protection, and controlled release of nutrients, ensuring higher bioactivity and prolonged release in the intestine. The system was successfully demonstrated with probiotics, tea polyphenols, and rapeseed oil, showing its potential for customized nutrient management. This structurally controlled strategy offers a promising approach for enteric nutrient delivery using readily available and biocompatible biomass materials.