Functional inorganic nanomaterials for gastrointestinal disease management: Recent developments and future perspectives

BackgroundGastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, gastric disorders, and infections are a major health burden worldwide, and their pathophysiology is complex, involving dynamic pH gradients, mucus barriers, microbiota interactions, and oxidative stress.ObjectiveThis review discusses recent developments in the design and use of functional inorganic nanomaterials for gastrointestinal disease management.MethodsMetal and metal oxide nanoparticles, mesoporous silica systems, and hybrid nanostructures are reviewed, with major emphasis on structure-property-function relationships, stimuli-responsive behavior, redox modulation by nanozymes, diagnostic applications, targeted therapy, and theranostics. Safety considerations, biodistribution patterns, and translational barriers are also critically discussed.ResultsFunctional inorganic nanomaterials have emerged as promising platforms because they are physicochemically stable, possess tunable surfaces, exhibit catalytic activity, and provide multimodal attributes. These properties support their application in diagnosis, targeted treatment, and theranostic management of GI diseases.ConclusionOverall, this review provides a complete and critical insight into recent developments and future perspectives for translating functional inorganic nanomaterials from the laboratory to clinical application in gastrointestinal disease management.