Curcumin shows therapeutic potential against colitis.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.202100943

The present study aims to explore the potential therapeutic properties of curcumin on intestinal inflammatory diseases, including its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties, as well as their associations with altered intestinal microbiome.

Methods and results: DSS, i.e., Dextran Sulfate Sodium, (3%) was administered to C57BL/6J mice in the drinking water daily for 6 days in DSS and curcumin groups. Then mice in curcumin groups were orally administered with 50 or 150 mg/kg curcumin for 7 days. On day 13, mice were sacrificed. Results showed that oral administration with curcumin relieved macroscopic pathological manifestations, e.g. colon length and histological change. Moreover, it enhanced intestinal barrier via increasing expression of tight junction proteins, e.g. occludin, ZO-1, claudin-3; alleviated DSS-induced intestinal apoptosis via suppressing caspase-3 pathway; mitigated intestinal inflammation via inhibiting the MAPK/NFκB/STAT3 pathway. We also noticed that curcumin is beneficial for modulating abundance of some specific bacteria, including Akkermansia, Coprococcus, Roseburia, and Turicibacter, as well as families such as F16, Enterococcaceae, and Aerococcaceae. Most of the altered bacteria by curcumin are highly correlated with colitis-associated parameters.

Conclusion: curcumin shows therapeutic potential against colitis. It may be served as alternative medicine or adjuvant therapy in the treatment of colitis.