Found natural remedy for relieving intestinal inflammation

Arabinoxylan fiber from sugarcane bagasse - a processing byproduct - may alleviate intestinal inflammation in ulcerative colitis. This conclusion was reached by scientists from Nanchang University (NCU). The results of the study were published in the journal Food & Function (F&F).

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic intestinal disease in which shallow lesions - ulcers - appear on the mucous membranes of the colon. Such inflammation can cause abdominal pain, digestive disorders, and blood in the stool.

In an experiment on mice, arabinoxylan reduced intestinal inflammation induced by dextran sulfate sodium. This polysaccharide compound is used in biochemical and pharmacological research as an inducer of experimental colitis, allowing researchers to study the effects of drugs on the gut microbiome.

Animals receiving the supplement showed improvements in body weight, disease activity index, and colon length. At the same time, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased, and the mucosal structure was restored: the number of goblet cells responsible for protective mucus increased.

The key effect of arabinoxylan was found to be related to the microbiota. The supplement altered the composition of intestinal bacteria: the proportion of potentially beneficial genera increased - Bacteroides, Roseburia, Akkermansia, Ligilactobacillus, and Parabacteroides. Meanwhile, the number of bacteria associated with inflammation, including Clostridium, Enterococcus, and Escherichia-Shigella, decreased.

The authors emphasize that the study was conducted on animals, so it is too early to speak of therapeutic effects in humans. Nevertheless, the work points to the potential of dietary fiber from plant materials as an additional way to support gut health in inflammatory diseases.