“…During IBD progress, free radicals, including nitric oxide, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-β, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-23, IL-17, and IFN-γ, are upregulated in the local gastrointestinal (GI) tract. 1 These result in the decreased expression of tight junction (TJ) and adherent junction (AJ) proteins, which incur a leaky gut in IBD. 5,6 Accordingly, various medicines, including 5-aminosalicylate, steroids (prednisolone, budesonide), and immunomodulators (azathiopurine, mercaptiopurine, methotrexate, and cyclosporine) have been used as maintenance drugs to mitigate the pathogenic symptoms of IBD.…”