Figure 1.

A schematic of the self-assembly of chitosan-drug conjugates to form nanotherapeutics (i.e., nCUR and nSN38) and oral administration of the nanotherapeutics for CAC treatment. (A) Therapeutic SN38 and CUR agents were individually tethered to carboxylated chitosan by a hydrolyzable linkage. The formed chitosan-drug conjugates self-assembled into stable colloidal and bioadhesive nanotherapeutics suited for oral delivery. (B) After oral administration by drinking water containing the therapeutics ad libitum, the nCUR and nSN38 nanotherapeutics were tightly adhered to intestinal villi and efficiently accumulated in the inflamed colon tissues and tumors. Subsequently, chemically unmodified anti-inflammatory CUR and cytotoxic SN38 agents can be released to impair colitis and tumor growth, respectively.