The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Dietary Anthocyanins against Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC), which is a major form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a chronic relapsing disorder of the gastrointestinal tract affecting millions of people worldwide. Alternative natural therapies, including dietary changes, are being investigated to manage or treat UC since current treatment options have serious negative side effects. There is growing evidence from animal studies and human clinical trials that diets rich in anthocyanins, which are pigments in fruits and vegetables, protect against inflammation and increased gut permeability as well as improve colon health through their ability to alter bacterial metabolism and the microbial milieu within the intestines. In this review, the structure and bioactivity of anthocyanins, the role of inflammation and gut bacterial dysbiosis in UC pathogenesis, and their regulation by the dietary anthocyanins are discussed, which suggests the feasibility of dietary strategies for UC mitigation.

Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function Restoration in Mice by Maize Diet Containing Enriched Flavan-4-Ols

“…Phenolic compounds are well known for their antioxidant property. Furthermore, accumulating evidence has shown that polyphenols play a role in interfering with the inflammatory signaling pathway to modulate immune responses in the gut [7,8].…”

The Regulation of Host Intestinal Microbiota by Polyphenols in the Development and Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease

“…These results show that anthocyanins are able to protect the intestinal barrier by modulating tight junction-positive and -negative protein ratios, exemplifying the anti-colonic inflammation effects of anthocyanins from various fruits and vegetables (22,23). In addition, anthocyanins have high antioxidant abilities, attributable to the ability of their phenolic groups to donate electrons, or transfer electrons from hydrogen atoms, to quench free radicals.…”

Fragaria Genus: Chemical Composition and Biological Activities

“…As previously stated, one of the traditional uses of Fragaria is as an anti-inflammatory agent [61,62]. Most of the authors assign the anti-inflammatory properties to the presence of anthocyanins (the most representative being pelargonidin and cyanidin derivates) [75], molecules with known anti-inflammatory potential [76,77], demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo [78,79]. Similar to the other biomedical potential, the anti-inflammatory action is also correlated with the composition of different Fragaria species.…”