Beneficial effects of nutritional supplements on intestinal epithelial barrier functions in experimental colitis models in vivo

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2019-08, Vol.25 (30), p.4181-4198
• Main Authors: Vargas-Robles, Hilda, Castro-Ochoa, Karla Fabiola, Citalán-Madrid, Alí Francisco, Schnoor, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Caco-2 Cells; Colitis, Ulcerative - chemically induced; Colitis, Ulcerative - diet therapy; Colitis, Ulcerative - pathology; Crohn Disease - chemically induced; Crohn Disease - diet therapy; Crohn Disease - pathology; Dextran Sulfate - toxicity; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; Fatty Acids - administration & dosage; Humans; Intestinal Absorption - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - cytology; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Minireviews; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Permeability - drug effects; Phytochemicals - administration & dosage; Tight Junctions - drug effects; Tight Junctions - metabolism; Treatment Outcome; Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid - toxicity; Vitamins - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i30.4181

Acute and chronic colitis affect a huge proportion of the population world-wide. The etiology of colitis cases can be manifold, and diet can significantly affect onset and outcome of colitis. While many forms of acute colitis are easily treatable, chronic forms of colitis such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (summarized as inflammatory bowel diseases) are multifactorial with poorly understood pathogenesis. Inflammatory bowel diseases are characterized by exacerbated immune responses causing epithelial dysfunction and bacterial translocation. There is no cure and therapies aim at reducing inflammation and restoring intestinal barrier function. Unfortunately, most drugs can have severe side effects. Changes in diet and inclusion of nutritional supplements have been extensively studied in cell culture and animal models, and some supplements have shown promising results in clinical studies. Most of these nutritional supplements including vitamins, fatty acids and phytochemicals reduce oxidative stress and inflammation and have shown beneficial effects during experimental colitis in rodents induced by dextran sulphate sodium or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid, which remain the gold standard in pre-clinical colitis research. Here, we summarize the mechanisms through which such nutritional supplements contribute to epithelial barrier stabilization.