Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods: a useful tool in intestinal motility alteration in mice with DSS induced colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the rectum and colon. The conventional medical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive drugs and antibiotics.1 Recently, considerable attention has been given to the identification of naturally occurring substances, particularly those present in dietary and medicinal plants as a useful tool in the prevention and treatment of many pathological conditions. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for several inflammatory and functional conditions of the gastrointestinal tract such as diarrhea. Since intestinal motility has been reported to be impaired in IBD patients, our investigation was aimed at evaluating whether turmeric, besides its anti-inflammatory properties, exerts also a myorelaxant effect on the intestine. Acute and chronic colitis were induced in Balb/c mice by Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS) administration (5% and 2.5%,w/v, respectively) and either Curcuma extract (200 mg/kg/day) or placebo was thereafter administered for 7 and 21 days respectively. Similarly Curcuma extract was administered to healthy mice and in vitro evaluated in healthy intestine. The biological activity of Curcuma extract was evaluated towards Carbachol induced contraction in isolated ileum and colon in healthy animals, acute and chronic colitis animals and after administration of Curcuma.3 Curcuma extract reduced the spontaneous contractions in the ileum and colon both in the healthy intestine and in the pathological intestinal strips. In addition, it inhibited the maximal response to Carbachol in a non-competitive and reversible manner. Similar results were observed in ileum and colon from Curcuma fed mice. The administration of DSS reduced the motility, mainly in the colon; Curcuma almost restored both the spontaneous contractions and the response to Carbachol after 14 days assumption, compared to standard diet; however a prolonged administration of Curcuma, once the mucosal damage of the intestine was repaired, reduced the spontaneous and Carbachol-induced contractions.3 Curcuma extract has been shown to exert a direct and indirect myorelaxant effect on mouse ileum and colon, independent of the anti-inflammatory effect. The effect is reversible and non-competitive and it is present also in the normal intestine. These results suggest the use of curcuma extract as a spasmolytic agent 3 not only in IBD, but also as a useful tool in the management of functional disorders References 1. Bossa, F.; Colombo, E.; Andriulli, A.; Annese, V. Treatment of steroid-naive ulcerative colitis. Expert Opin Pharmacother, 2009, 10, 1449-1460. 2. Jurenka, J.S. Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: a review of preclinical and clinical research. Altern Med Rev, 2009, 14, 141-153. 3. Aldini, R.; Budriesi, R.; Roda, G.; Micucci, M.; Ioan, P.; D’Errico-Grigioni, A.; Sartini, A.; Guidetti, E.; Marocchi, M.; Cevenini, M.; Rosini, F.; Montagnani, M.; Chiarini, A.; Mazzella, G. Effect of Curcuma longa extract on the intestinal motility in acute and chronic DSS induced colitis in mice. Plose One, 2012, 7, e44650.