The Oxidative Stress and Nervous Distress Connection in Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Published in: Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-10, Vol.13 (11), p.1586
• Main Authors: Stavely, Rhian, Ott, Leah C, Rashidi, Niloufar, Sakkal, Samy, Nurgali, Kulmira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Care and treatment; Cell death; Chemotherapy; Defense mechanisms; Diabetes mellitus; Disease; Drug development; Enteric nervous system; Enteric Nervous System - metabolism; enteric neuron; Enzymes; Free radicals; gastrointestinal; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases - metabolism; Health aspects; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - metabolism; Metabolism; Metabolites; Mucositis; Nervous system; neurointestinal; Neurons - metabolism; Nitric oxide; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Oxidative Stress; Pathogenesis; Pathophysiology; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Radiation therapy; reactive oxygen species; Smooth muscle; Therapeutic applications; Toxicity; Ulcers
• ISSN: 2218-273X; 2218-273X
• DOI: 10.3390/biom13111586

Oxidative stress is increasingly recognized as a central player in a range of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, as well as complications stemming from therapeutic interventions. This article presents an overview of the mechanisms of oxidative stress in GI conditions and highlights a link between oxidative insult and disruption to the enteric nervous system (ENS), which controls GI functions. The dysfunction of the ENS is characteristic of a spectrum of disorders, including neurointestinal diseases and conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetic gastroparesis, and chemotherapy-induced GI side effects. Neurons in the ENS, while essential for normal gut function, appear particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. Mechanistically, oxidative stress in enteric neurons can result from intrinsic nitrosative injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, or inflammation-related pathways. Although antioxidant-based therapies have shown limited efficacy, recognizing the multifaceted role of oxidative stress in GI diseases offers a promising avenue for future interventions. This comprehensive review summarizes the literature to date implicating oxidative stress as a critical player in the pathophysiology of GI disorders, with a focus on its role in ENS injury and dysfunction, and highlights opportunities for the development of targeted therapeutics for these diseases.