DefinePK

Abstract

Xylan could be applied as a drug targeting agent for colonic delivery due to the fact that the degradation of xylan occurs by the action of xylanases and xylosidases enzymes produced by bacteria in the colon. Xylan from pineapple stem waste was isolated and then conjugated with mesalamine (5-aminosalycylic acid/5-ASA), which is the golden standard drug for chronic colon inflammation [1], forming a prodrug as an attempt to lower the absorption as well as the release of the drug in the stomach and small intestine. Xylan-mesalamine prodrug was tested to treat rats that suffered colon inflammation caused by TNBS (2, 4, 6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid) induction. The healing progress of the treated inflamed colon tissue after 15 days was evaluated by histopathological analysis using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Particularly, the tissue colon analysis using SEM is able to give a clearer insight of colon morphology due to the fact that higher magnification, as compared to that of LM, can be applied in SEM. Therefore, the superior healing effect of xylan-mesalamine prodrug on the treated colon tissue could be elucidated more clearly using SEM, showing that xylan-mesalamine prodrug give a better healing outcome of chronic colon inflammation treatment as compared to free mesalamine.