3D Printed Tacrolimus Rectal Formulations Ameliorate Colitis in an Experimental Animal Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to fabricate novel self-supporting tacrolimus suppositories using semisolid extrusion 3-dimensional printing (3DP) and to investigate their efficacy in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease. Blends of Gelucire 44/14 and coconut oil were employed as lipid excipients to obtain suppository formulations with self-emulsifying properties, which were then tested in a TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid) induced rat colitis model. Disease activity was monitored using PET/CT medical imaging; maximum standardized uptake values (SUV_max), a measure of tissue radiotracer accumulation rate, together with body weight changes and histological assessments, were used as inflammatory indices to monitor treatment efficacy. Following tacrolimus treatment, a significant reduction in SUV_max was observed on days 7 and 10 in the rat colon sections compared to non-treated animals. Histological analysis using Nancy index confirmed disease remission. Moreover, statistical analysis showed a positive correlation (R² = 71.48%) between SUV_max values and weight changes over time. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of 3D printed tacrolimus suppositories to ameliorate colitis and highlights the utility of non-invasive PET/CT imaging to evaluate new therapies in the preclinical area.