Oral administration of nanoparticles and gut microbiota–mediated effects

This chapter focuses on the studies that have been done so far in what concerns the modulation of gut microbiome by oral delivery nanosystems. Some studies showed changes in animals' microbiota population dependent on nanoparticles (NPs) physical characteristics and dose. When developing a new oral delivery system that is supposed to reach the intestine, the interaction of these systems with the gut bacteria has to be studied. Owing to a considerable growth of orally delivered medicines and functional foods that are incorporated within NPs, studies on digestion of these products and the impact of gastrointestinal (GI) tract conditions on the stability, the loaded compound's release, and bioavailability are important. In addition to the effects of NPs in microbiota, it is also important to study the NPs' path along the entire GI tract, from mouth to colon, to understand the chemical changes that these NPs suffer during all digestion.