Inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer, nutraceutical aspects

Abstract

Nutraceuticals constitute a group of functional foods that provide added health benefits for various disorders including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The main groups of nutraceuticals include probiotics, prebiotics, omega 3 and antioxidants. Studies on Nutraceutical showed that this type of food possessed similar proprieties to drugs but with the benefit of not having side effects. This mini review shows that probiotics and prebiotics, when administered simultaneously with traditional therapies, reduce IBD symptoms and reduce synthesis of enzymes probably involved in colorectal carcinogenesis. Moreover, Omega 3 reduces the synthesis of inflammation mediators and prevents carcinogenesis through interaction with the signaling pathway NOTCH1/MMP9. Moreover, antioxidants reduce the inflammatory process by inhibiting the synthesis of inflammatory mediators, and inhibit the mechanisms of cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. In brief, nutraceuticals have gained a huge clinical interest since they could be used along with traditional therapy. Bioavailability studies of nutraceutical supplements guarantee a correct intake of the substance by oral administration, a matter which would not have been possible to have entirely with the consumption of regular food only. © EUROMEDITERRANEAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL.