Anti-inflammatory roles of dietary fiber and short-chain fatty acids as regards inflammatory bowel diseases

摘要

Dietary fiber and resistant starch are broken down in the human colon, and this process is achieved by the many species of intestinal anaerobic microflora (fermentation). Via this process, short chain-fatty adds (SCFAs) (acetate, propionate and butyra te) are generated, SCFAs are the preferred fuel of the colonic epithelium. In response to stress or inflammatory and immune responses, mammalian cells rapidly send a transcription factor called NF-KB into the nucleus, and sodium butyrate potently inhibit s TNF-alpha-induced NF-kB activation This action correlates with the inhibitory effects of sodium butyrate on various inflammatory gene responses. Based on these findings, a variety of clinical applications of butyrate have been reported Butyrate enema h ad significant therapeutic effects on TNBS-induced experimental colitis. The enema consisting of 100 ml SCFAs was tried in UC patients. The efficacy of this treatment was less convincing in UC patients than experimental colitis. In several studies, infla mmation was decreased by as much as 60% and the infiltration of polynudear leukocytes was also decreased. It is likely that increase in luminal concentrations of SCFAs and prolonged contact may be necessary for treatment of UC patients. In another study demonstrated oral butyrate treatment increased the efficacy of oral mesalazine in active UC patients.