Bioactive compounds and alleviation of symptoms of bowel inflammation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/bmp.v3i4.1980Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) imposes a significant and growing global health burden, and current therapeutic options remain substantially limited. This mini-review evaluates the mechanistic basis and clinical evidence for four major dietary bioactive compound sources (sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables, curcumin from turmeric, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols) as complementary interventions for bowel inflammation. These bioactive compound classes converge on key anti-inflammatory pathways, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) suppression, intestinal barrier enhancement, and gut microbiome modulation. The clinical evidence is strongest for curcumin, a polyphenolic curcuminoid, with systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials demonstrating adjunctive benefit in ulcerative colitis remission maintenance. Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate, shows robust preclinical efficacy through Nrf2-dependent mechanisms with emerging human evidence. Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant-derived polyphenols demonstrate strong mechanistic plausibility, although clinical outcomes remain variable. This review positions these classes of dietary bioactive compounds as evidence-based complementary functional food interventions within integrative IBD management frameworks.
Novelty: This mini-review uniquely integrates multiple classes of dietary bioactive compounds—specifically isothiocyanates, polyphenolic curcuminoids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and plant-derived polyphenols—into a unified mechanistic framework centered on convergent anti-inflammatory signaling pathways in IBD. Unlike prior reviews that evaluate these bioactive compound classes in isolation, this work comparatively analyzes their shared and distinct roles in modulating Nrf2, NF-κB, gut barrier integrity, and the intestinal microbiome. Additionally, it emphasizes the translational potential of these defined bioactive compound classes within functional food-based therapeutic strategies, bridging mechanistic insights with clinical applicability.
Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease; sulforaphane; dietary bioactive compounds; isothiocyanates; polyphenolic curcuminoids; curcumin; omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; plant-derived polyphenols; gut microbiome; functional foods
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