Alternative Medicines as Emerging Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Udai P. Singh, affiliation; Narendra P. Singh, affiliation; Brandon Busbee, Emory University; H Guan, Emory University; Balwan Singh, Emory University; Robert L Price, University of South Carolina; Dennis D. Taub, NIA-IRP, NIH; Manoj K. Mishra, Alabama State University; Mitzi Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina; Prakash S Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-01-18
• Publisher: Informa Healthcare
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © Informa Healthcare USA, Inc
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08830185.2011.642909
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: International Reviews of Immunology
• ISSN: 0883-0185
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 66
• End Page: 84
• Grant/Funding Information: This study was supported in part by grants from NIH P01AT003961 and the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, NIH.
• Keywords: resveratrol; bromelain; Crohn disease (CD); pomegranate; polyphenols; ulcerative colitis (UC); inflammation; curcumin; inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); rutin
• Research Categories: Biology, Microbiology; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be divided into two major categories, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD). While the main cause(s) of IBD remain unknown, a number of interventional and preventive strategies have been proposed for use against CD and UC. Many reports have focused on the use of alternative natural medicines as potential therapeutic interventions in IBD patients with minimal side effects. While the use of alternative medicines may be effective in IBD patients that are refractory to corticosteroids or thiopurins, alternative treatment strategies are limited and require extensive clinical testing before being optimized for use in patients.