Improving the Gastric Resilience of Ferritin Nanocages by Fabrication with Gelatin for the Development of Oral Iron Supplements

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, particularly affecting children and women. The first-line treatment for IDA is oral iron supplementation, preferred for its cost-effectiveness and convenience of administration but is often accompanied by side effects like oxidative stress, infections, and low-solubility/precipitation. This study explores the use of ferritins-self-assembled nanocage proteins serving as soluble cellular-iron reservoirs-as a safer alternative for oral iron intervention. Ideal oral iron supplements must withstand gastric conditions, not trigger oxidative stress, and reach the absorption site intact. DNA protection assays and microbial growth studies demonstrate the antioxidative properties of ferritin, contrary to ferrous salts, underscoring its potential as a safer iron supplement. While ferritin shows commendable gastric tolerance, prolonged exposure can hamper its structural integrity/mineral retention. To further enhance its stability, ferritin is fabricated with gelatins, which preserved its structure/iron content under simulated gastric conditions. The combination of inherent antioxidant and controlled iron release properties of ferritin with gelatin's protective effect could help overcome the limitations of the commercial supplements. The findings of this study could pave the way for the development of "gelatin-coated iron-loaded ferritin"-based oral formulations as a safer option for IDA management.