Mediterranean plant may be an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis, rat study shows

New research in rats indicates that a Mediterranean plant may be an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. The findings are published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat ulcerative colitis, but they can cause numerous side effects. To test the potential of the Arbutus unedo plant (often referred to as the strawberry tree) that is native to the Mediterranean region, investigators gave rats doses of an extract from the plant before exposing the animals to a chemical that induces ulcerative colitis.

The pretreatment prevented changes in the colon's lining and led to fewer colonic lesions compared with no pretreatment. The pretreatment also caused decreased expression of various proteins that promote oxidative stress and inflammation.

Our findings suggest that Arbutus unedo should be studied further in preventative and therapeutic approaches to gastrointestinal disorders."

Soumaya Wahabi, PhD, corresponding author of the University of Jendouba, Tunisia