Colonic disorder management: challenges and prospects

The colon is a vital organ that plays a pivotal role in the absorption of water and minerals. Colonic disorder is the disease that affects the colon, such as inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and colon cancer. Pathogenic phases of the inflammatory cascade are usually targeted for effective management and can be achieved by systemic therapy, local management, colon-specific delivery, and targeted therapy. The common obstacles faced by current treatment are systemic therapy side effects, inadequate topical drug targeting with oral administration, and low prescription adherence. On the other hand, the colon provides some significant challenges to drug delivery, such as lack of villi and fluid volume, intestine microbiota, and low colon transit time. These problems must be considered while developing drug delivery systems to manage colonic disorders effectively. This chapter comprehensively covers the various challenges and prospects for managing colonic disorders.