Do blueberries reduce Crohn's symptoms?

Blueberry from Wikipedia

Blueberries from the world's healthiest foods

"Protective Effect of Anthocyanins Extract from Blueberry on TNBS-Induced IBD Model of Mice" in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011) [full article]

"Blueberries are among the fruits that are best recognized for their potential health benefits [1], and many of the heath-promoting properties of blueberries are thought to be attributable to anthocyanins that structurally belong to the natural products of flavonoids (Figure 1). Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that might appear as red, purple or blue pigments according to their pH levels and are present in blueberries at high concentrations [2]. Anthocyanins from blueberries are also used as anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and rhodophylactic agents, and the principal therapeutic benefits attributable to anthocyanins include antioxidant protection and maintenance of DNA integrity [3, 4].

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Thus, evaluation of the protective effect of anthocyanins extract of blueberry on IBD might shed light on drug discovery or alternative therapy for IBD treatment.

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Our results suggest that the protective effect of anthocyanins extract may be linked to the re-equilibration of the irregular expression of cytokines induced by colitis. Therefore, we can presume that the high-dose intake of anthocyanins extract from blueberries (or blueberries) can have some beneficial effects on IBD."

Anthocyanin on Wikipedia

"Studies on apple and blueberry fruit constituents: Do the polyphenols reach the colon after ingestion?" in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2006)
"The aim of our studies was to determine the amount of polyphenols reaching the colon after oral intake of apple juice and blueberries.... A higher amount of the blueberry anthocyanins under study (up to 85%, depending on the sugar moiety) were determined in the ileostomy bags and therefore would reach the colon under physiological circumstances. Such structure-related availability has to be considered when polyphenols are used in model systems to study potential preventive effects in colorectal diseases."

Probiotics and Blueberry Attenuate the Severity of Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Colitis in Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2008)
"Cecal Enterobacteriaceae count decreased significantly in blueberry with and without probiotics compared to the other groups."

"Chemoprevention of Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Induced Carcinogenesis in Rodent Models by Berries" in Berries and Cancer Prevention (2011)
"Long-term chronic inflammation including inflammatory bowel disease is a well-recognized risk factor for cancer development. Fresh fruits, particularly berries, have been well documented as having protective effects against inflammation and cancer development. There are several key elements in the berries with functions against cancer, including vitamins (A, C, E, and folic acid), minerals (calcium and selenium), phenol compounds (particularly ellagic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, quercetin and anthocyanins), phytosterols (β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol) and oligosaccharides. This chapter focuses on linking berries to chronic colitis-induced carcinogenesis from experimental evidence to potential usefulness on cancer prevention and treatment."

"Influence of dietary blueberry and broccoli on cecal microbiota activity and colon morphology in mdr1a−/− mice, a model of inflammatory bowel diseases" in Nutrition (2012)
"In comparison to mice fed the control diet, blueberry and broccoli supplementation altered cecum microbiota similarly with the exception of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which was found to be significantly lower in broccoli-fed mice. High concentrations of butyric acid and low concentrations of succinic acid were observed in the cecum of broccoli-fed mice. Blueberry- and broccoli-supplemented diets increased colon crypt size and the number of goblet cells per crypt. Only the broccoli-supplemented diet significantly lowered colonic inflammation compared to mice fed the control diet. Translocation of total microbes to mesenteric lymph nodes was lower in broccoli-fed mice compared to blueberry and control diet groups."

Does resveratol reduce Crohn's symptoms?

Resveratol on Wikipedia
"Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. ...

Cancer Prevention ... The strongest evidence of anti-cancer action of resveratrol exists for tumors it can come into direct contact with, such as skin and gastrointestinal tract tumors. ... Thus, resveratrol (1 mg/kg orally) reduced the number and size of the esophageal tumors in rats treated with a carcinogen.;[24] and in several studies, small doses (0.02–8 mg/kg) of resveratrol, given prophylactically, reduced or prevented the development of intestinal and colon tumors in rats given different carcinogens. ...

Anti-inflammatory effects: The anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol have been demonstrated in several animal model studies. In a rat model of carrageenan-induced paw edema, resveratrol inhibited both acute and chronic phases of the inflammatory process.[36] Similarly, preincubation with resveratrol decreased arachidonic acid release and COX-2 induction in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with tumor promoter PMA, ROI, or lipopolysaccharides (LPS).[37] In an experimental rabbit inflammatory arthritis model, resveratrol showed promise as a potential therapy for arthritis. When administered to rabbits with induced inflammatory arthritis, resveratrol protected cartilage against the progression of inflammatory arthritis. ...

In grapes, resveratrol is found primarily in the skin, and—in muscadine grapes—also in the seeds.[141] The amount found in grape skins also varies with the grape cultivar, its geographic origin, and exposure to fungal infection. The amount of fermentation time a wine spends in contact with grape skins is an important determinant of its resveratrol content. ... Reports suggest that some aspect of the wine making process converts piceid to resveratrol in wine, as wine seems to have twice the average resveratrol concentration of the equivalent commercial juices. ...

In general, wines made from grapes of the Pinot Noir and St. Laurent varieties showed the highest level of trans-resveratrol, though no wine or region can yet be said to produce wines with significantly higher resveratrol concentrations than any other wine or region."

What is resveratol? in the world's healthiest foods

"Resveratrol is a unique phytonutrient that is found in grapes, cranberries, blueberries, peanuts, jackfruit, mulberries, bilberries, lingonberries, and a wide range of other non-food plants including flowers and trees. ... Choose red or purple grapes instead of green ones. Although green grapes contain resveratrol, they contain much less that the red or purple varieties."



My Resveratol Experience

"Molecular Targets of Dietary Polyphenols with Anti-inflammatory Properties" in Yonsei Med J (2005)
"The stillbene compound resveratol possesses anti-inflammatory activity because it suppresses carragenen-induced pedal edema via the inhibition of COX activity. Furthermore, resveratrol inhibits TPA-induced COX-2 expression at the transcriptional level.23 Thus, the mechanism by which resveratrol exerts anti-inflammatory activity may be related to the inhibition of either COX transcription or COX activity. ...EGCG [epigallocatechin gallate] and resveratrol were the most effective COX-1 inhibitors among those tested in the study."

"Dietary polyphenols can modulate the intestinal inflammatory response" in Nutrition Reviews (2009)
"Studies, conducted using in vivo and in vitro models, provide evidence that pure polyphenolic compounds and natural polyphenolic plant extracts can modulate intestinal inflammation."

"Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Resveratrol, Curcumin and Simvastatin in Acute Small Intestinal Inflammation" in PLoS ONE (2010)
"Oral treatment with Resveratrol, Curcumin or Simvastatin ameliorates acute small intestinal inflammation by down-regulating Th1-type immune responses and prevents bacterial translocation by maintaining gut barrier function. These findings provide novel and potential prophylaxis and treatment options of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases."

"Resveratrol has antiinflammatory and antifibrotic effects in the peptidoglycan-polysaccharide rat model of Crohn's disease" in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (2011)
"Resveratrol has antiinflammatory and antifibrotic effects. Resveratrol decreases proliferation and collagen synthesis by intestinal smooth muscle cells. ... Resveratrol decreases inflammatory cytokines and TGF-β1 in the PG-PS model of Crohn's disease and demonstrates a promising trend in decreasing tissue fibrosis. These findings may have therapeutic applications in inflammatory bowel disease."

"Resveratrol causes cell cycle arrest, decreased collagen synthesis, and apoptosis in rat intestinal smooth muscle cells" in Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology (2011)
"One of the most difficult and treatment-resistant complications of Crohn's disease is the development of fibrotic intestinal strictures due to mesenchymal cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition. Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in berries, peanuts, grapes, and red wine, has been shown to inhibit fibrosis in vasculature, heart, lung, kidney, liver, and esophagus in animal models. Resveratrol has also been shown to inhibit oxidation, inflammation, and cell proliferation and to decrease collagen synthesis in several cell types or animal models. ... Thus, resveratrol decreases intestinal smooth muscle cell numbers through its effects on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and also decreases collagen synthesis by the cells. These effects could be useful in preventing the smooth muscle cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition that characterize stricture formation in Crohn's disease."