How do probiotic targeted release tablets achieve targeted delivery from stomach to colon?
Publish Time: 2026-01-07
In modern health management, the application of probiotics is increasingly widespread, but their efficacy is often limited by the harsh environment of the digestive tract—especially the highly corrosive nature of stomach acid and bile. To overcome these challenges, probiotic targeted release tablets employ advanced coating technology and precise formulation design to ensure that probiotics can successfully pass through stomach acid and small intestinal digestive fluids, and efficiently colonize and multiply in suitable intestinal regions.1. Acid-resistant coating: Protecting probiotics through the "fire" of the stomachThe pH value in the stomach is typically between 1.5 and 3.5, a highly acidic environment sufficient to destroy most unprotected probiotics. To address this challenge, probiotic targeted release tablets use special acid-resistant coating materials, such as Eudragit L or S series polymers. These materials are pH sensitive, remaining stable in low pH environments and gradually dissolving in near-neutral environments. Therefore, when the probiotic tablet enters the stomach, the coating effectively resists stomach acid erosion, preventing the probiotics from becoming inactive. 1. As food progresses into the small intestine, the pH rises to approximately 6.0 or higher, and the coating begins to break down, preparing to release probiotics.2. Hydrophobic Coating: Resisting Bile Attack and Ensuring Strain ViabilityThe small intestine, especially the duodenum, is the primary site of bile secretion. Bile is highly alkaline and surface-active, easily damaging the cell membrane structure of probiotics. Therefore, the targeted release tablets further utilize hydrophobic coating technology. This coating material not only possesses pH-sensitive properties but also excellent hydrophobicity, effectively isolating probiotics from direct contact with bile, thereby reducing damage to bacterial cell membranes. This allows probiotics to safely pass through the higher bile concentration of the early small intestine, reaching the more suitable middle and later sections of the small intestine and even the colon.3. Staged Release Mechanism: Optimizing Probiotic Colonization TimingThe ideal probiotic release point should be located away from the influence of gastric acid and bile, i.e., the middle and later sections of the small intestine, and even the colon. To address this, the targeted release tablets are designed with a multi-stage release mechanism:Stage 1: In the stomach, the probiotics are preserved intact thanks to the acid-resistant coating.Stage 2: In the early small intestine, the probiotics remain protected from bile and other digestive enzymes as the coating is not yet fully dissolved.Stage 3: As the tablet moves to the middle or lower part of the small intestine, the pH rises to a specific range, causing the coating to partially dissolve and slowly release a small amount of probiotics, allowing them to adapt to the intestinal environment and be initially activated.Final Stage: Before reaching the colon, the coating is completely degraded, releasing a large number of probiotics that rapidly regain activity. These probiotics then utilize the abundant nutrients in the colon to proliferate quickly, forming a significant gut microbiota dominance.4. Core Tablet Formulation: Balancing Stability and BioavailabilityBesides the outer coating, the core tablet formulation is equally crucial. By precisely controlling the tablet weight, shape, and the proportion of internal filler, the release rate and total amount of probiotics can be adjusted. For example, appropriately increasing tablet density helps improve its movement speed in the digestive tract, ensuring probiotics are released at the optimal location; while choosing a suitable disintegrant ensures that probiotics can quickly disperse and adhere to the intestinal wall after the coating breaks, promoting colonization.5. Practical Application Value: Enhancing Overall Gut HealthProbiotic targeted release tablets not only significantly improve the survival rate of probiotics but also allow for flexible adjustments to the release strategy based on different intestinal problems. Whether for common intestinal discomforts such as diarrhea and constipation, or for regulating the balance of the gut microbiota to prevent disease, they provide more effective solutions. Especially for patients who need to take antibiotics long-term or suffer from chronic intestinal inflammation, these products can replenish beneficial bacteria, repair damaged intestinal barrier function, and promote overall health improvement.The success of probiotic targeted release tablets lies in their ingenious combination of multiple advanced technologies, achieving targeted delivery from the stomach to the colon. Through acid- and enzyme-resistant coatings, hydrophobic protection, and a phased release mechanism, the impact of gastric acid and intestinal enzymes on the number and activity of probiotics is minimized, allowing probiotics to efficiently colonize and exert their effects at the most suitable site. This innovation not only broadens the application scenarios of probiotics, but also provides new tools for personalized health management.
