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Strawberry tree extracts helped treat ulcerative colitis in rats. (HJBC/Shutterstock) In a nutshell A traditional Mediterranean plant, the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), showed strong protective effects against ulcerative colitis in rats, performing nearly as well as a common prescription drug. The extract worked by reducing inflammation, preventing tissue damage, and restoring antioxidant enzyme levels, suggesting multiple mechanisms of action. While promising, these findings are from animal studies, and more research is needed before the extract can be considered a safe or effective treatment for humans. ======================================================================== JENDOUBA, Tunisia — A humble fruit from the Mediterranean region might hold the key...

The prevalence of zinc deficiency is about 50 percent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is higher in patients with Crohn disease (CD) than those with ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a study. Roberta Zupo and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the prevalence of zinc deficiency in IBD. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria, which included 17 prevalence entries for CD and UC (nine and eight, respectively). The researchers found that across selected studies, the prevalence of zinc deficiency showed higher values in CD than in UC. In pooled analyses, the overall mean zinc deficiency prevalence...

Researchers have delved deeper into the relationship between manganese deficiency and inflammatory bowel disease and found that low levels of the micronutrient can exacerbate intestinal injury and inflammation. Their study centers around the genetic variant of the manganese transporter SLC39A8, which affects manganese levels in the body. People with a genetic variant in SLC39A8, or ZIP8, can have manganese deficiency, which this and prior studies have linked to inflammatory diseases of the intestines such as Crohn's and colitis. "Our research reveals the crucial role of the manganese transporter SLC39A8 in maintaining healthy manganese levels and intestinal health. Our work also...

What do King Charles and Gwyneth Paltrow have in common? Give up? They’ve both at one point or another caused coffee colonic-related controversies. In a 2004 speech to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on complementary therapies and cancer care, the then Prince of Wales’ comments on Gerson therapy – a health program, marketed as an alternative treatment for cancer, that includes regular coffee enemas as a way to clear toxins from the body – seemed to endorse the unproven regimen. The prince’s opinion drew criticism from medical experts. Wellness influencer Gwyneth Paltrow, on the other hand, promoted a...

Drinking two small glasses of cherry juice a day may reduce gut inflammation and boost quality of life in bowel disease patients, a new study shows. The largest human trial of its kind found consuming 130ml of diluted Montmorency tart cherry juice twice a day for six weeks reduced gut inflammation markers in people with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis by 40%. Participants also reported a 9% improvement in health-related quality of life when taking the fruit drink supplement while receiving standard medication treatment. Montmorency tart cherries are rich in a nutrient known as anthocyanin, a natural compound that gives the fruit...

The mucosal layer in the small intestine degrades with age in rats, allowing digestive enzymes to slowly escape and leak into organs outside the intestine, including the liver, lung, heart, kidney and brain. As the enzymes are unable to distinguish tissues from food, they break down collagen and destroy many receptors on cell membranes, such as the insulin receptor which leads to type 2 diabetes. The researchers call this process autodigestion. Digestion requires powerful enzymes that are synthesized in the pancreas. They are delivered from the pancreas into the lumen of the small intestine, where they digest all the food...

A research team led by Dr. Bin Li has highlighted the potential of malvidin-3-O-galactoside (M3G), a blueberry-derived anthocyanin, to improve colonic mucosal barrier function and alleviate colitis symptoms. They demonstrated that M3G enhances the integrity of the colonic barrier by regulating key proteins and Notch signaling pathways, suggesting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for intestinal diseases. The colonic mucosal barrier is essential for maintaining digestive health, protecting against pathogens, and preventing inflammation. M3G, a common anthocyanin in blueberries, has been studied for its health benefits, including its potential to regulate gut microbiota and protect against inflammation. The study...

The smartest people I know are Freepers. Hopefully, y’all can give me some advice My 72yo wife has ulcerative colitis (UC), she’s in her 6th month of trying to get it into remission. UC is bleeding ulcers in your colon – therefore rectal bleeding and diarrhea, poor girl has it hugely. Her last UC episode, which went into remission within a couple months, was 17 year ago when she was 55yo. She’s taken all her biologic initial dosages of Remicade. We have Medicare and Medigap insurance, we live in KY in a major metro area. Her blood test results are...

A medication used for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is proving to be an effective treatment for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in the findings of a global study led by David T. Rubin, MD. The medication, guselkumab (Tremfya), is an antibody that blocks IL-23, the cytokine that drives many immune diseases, including ulcerative colitis. It can be administered as an injection or through an infusion. The Phase III QUASAR maintenance study showed that Tremfya can achieve symptomatic remission and also bowel healing, with a notably high rate of this important endpoint, Rubin said. The unique bowel healing capabilities help keep...

A team of researchers is uncovering how the juice from red cabbage, long used in traditional medicine, can alleviate inflammation-associated digestive health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice, offering hope to Americans who suffer from IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Santayana Rachagani's team found red cabbage juice boasts a diverse array of bioactive compounds that improved gut health and alleviated the symptoms of IBD in mice. "Red cabbage juice alters the composition of gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of good bacteria, resulting in increased production of short chain fatty acids and other bacteria derived...

A medication for high cholesterol can drastically cut "forever chemicals" (PFAS)—associated with an increased risk of cancer and banned in Europe—in the blood, researchers said. But the drug was not suitable for widespread and prolonged use because of its side effects. A clinical trial with cholestyramine led to a reduction 20 times greater than the normal result without intervention. "The effect of treatment was actually a decrease in the plasma of 63 percent," said Lindhardt. Researchers say the results are promising for treating people who have been exposed to high doses of the "forever chemicals", so called because they tend...

An overly robust immune response to usually harmless germs has been linked to colitis, a potentially severe inflammation of the colon. A study not only reveals that the presence of one class of fatty acids is the hidden villain that quietly triggers this inflammation, but also found that another group of fats—unsaturated fats such as those found in olive oil—can alleviate symptoms of colitis in mice. The cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), part of the innate immune system, is essential for suppressing inflammatory responses in the gut. In fact, children born without IL-10 need bone marrow transplants which can produce the cytokine...

Researchers have shown that changes can be detected in blood tests up to eight years before a diagnosis of Crohn's disease and up to three years before a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. This means the beginnings of inflammatory bowel diseases start a long time before symptoms occur, and in the future may provide an opportunity for doctors to take preventative action before symptoms begin, or prescribe medication when it will be most effective. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). They are incurable conditions which involve excessive inflammation in the gut, leading to symptoms...

I would appreciate any advise or any ideas to help a young loved one who is suffering terribly with ulcerative colitis. The only relief thus far is from prednisone, which comes with other problems. Prayers please! Thank you in advance.

Cholesterol-lowering statins might protect patients with ulcerative colitis from developing and dying from colorectal cancer. Statin treatment was also associated with a lower risk of death regardless of cause in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. This is according to a study. "Our study suggests that statins can prevent colorectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a high-risk group for this kind of cancer," says Jiangwei Sun. The observational study compared more than 10,500 IBD patients from around the country, of whom half were statin users; the other half of the group, who were matched...

For patients with refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced colitis, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment, according to a study. Taylor M. Halsey and colleagues, reported a case series of 12 patients with refractory immune-mediated colitis (IMC) who underwent FMT from healthy donors as salvage therapy. All patients had grade 3 or 4 ICI-related diarrhea or colitis that did not respond to standard first- and second-line immunosuppression (corticosteroids and infliximab or vedolizumab). The researchers found that 10 of the 12 patients achieved symptom improvement and three patients required repeat FMT; two of these had no subsequent response. Ninety-two percent...

Credit: Fernandolive on Wikimedia Commons Could a dose of hookworms provide a medication-free alternative to people with inflammatory bowel disease? The Malaghan Institute's Hookworm Therapy team, who recently published the results from their year-long clinical study, think it's possible. Published in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, the feasibility study found that hookworms were a safe and long-lasting treatment for participants with ulcerative colitis—paving the way for wider clinical studies. The Malaghan Institute has been exploring the potential therapeutic benefits of human hookworms for patients suffering allergic and inflammatory disease for a number of years. This current study was the first of its...

An article shows that melatonin, despite its antioxidant effects and role in regulating sleep cycles, can worsen inflammation of the intestine and impair the action of gut microbiota. Melatonin is popularly known as the "sleep hormone" and is often taken as a so-called food supplement without a doctor's prescription by people with sleep problems. "It's generally thought to be harmless. However, our study shows that the ingestion of melatonin supplement can have adverse effects on health," said Cristina Ribeiro de Barros Cardoso. Melatonin can act as an antioxidant and improve several physiological or pathological conditions. "We started out in this...

Psyllium fiber protects against ulcerative colitis and suppresses inflammation by activating the bile acid nuclear receptor, a mechanism that was previously unrecognized, according to a study. The findings reveal that psyllium inhibits inflammation that can lead to colitis in mice by increasing serum bile acids, resulting in the activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a bile acid nuclear receptor. Fiber-rich foods promote intestinal and metabolic health, but the extent of protection varies for each fiber type. It has been unclear whether dietary fiber can benefit severe forms of intestinal inflammation, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are...

Salk Institute researchers have developed a new compound that acts like a master reset switch in the intestines. In a new study, the compound, called FexD, is found to prevent and reverse intestinal inflammation in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease. New therapeutic has the potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease by targeting a molecule that keeps order in the intestines. Salk Institute scientists have developed a new drug that acts like a master reset switch in the gut. Called FexD, the compound has previously been found to burn fat, lower cholesterol, and ward off colorectal cancer in mice. Now,...