Alginate-based microcapsules loaded with Brazilian green propolis decrease reactive oxygen species production, reduce inflammatory cytokines, and mitigate intestinal inflammation

Ulcerative colitis causes intestinal inflammation, with treatments often limited in efficacy and safety. New technologies enable the controlled release of bioactive compounds, and Brazilian green propolis could benefit in managing inflammation. This study proposed developing alginate-based microcapsules loaded with ethanolic extract of green propolis (EEGP-MC), evaluating their effects on inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and experimental colitis. The results demonstrated that the EEGP-MC reached peak release of phenolic compounds in the intestinal phase (IP) at 4 h (76.9 %) and 6 h (75.0 %). Similarly, Artepillin C peaked at 22.3 ± 1.2 mg/g at 4 h and 22.5 ± 1.1 mg/g at 6 h in the IP. In THP-1 cell cultures, pretreatment with EEGP-MC (1000 μg/mL) and IP (300 and 1000 μg/mL) reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels and ROS production. Additionally, oral administration of EEGP-MC at 300 mg/kg demonstrated superior protective activity in the colonic mucosa, reducing lesions by 86.1 % compared to 54.9 % with EEGP alone. Finally, the treatment with EEGP-MC suppressed TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β cytokines in the intestinal tissue. No toxicity was observed for the EEGP-MC. These findings highlight EEGP-MC as an innovative technology with promising applications for managing chronic inflammation in the food and pharmaceutical industries.