Mango polyphenols may offer IBD relief: Pilot study

24-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 24-Jan-2020 at 17:23 GMT

Related tags mango IBD

Supplementation with polyphenols from mango may reduce markers of inflammation and improve levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut of people with IBD, suggests a small study funded by the National Mango Board.

Scientists from the University of Texas report that eight weeks of supplementation with a mango extract rich in polyphenols such as gallotannins and gallic acid may reduce levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

The mango polyphenols were also associated with significant increases in the abundance of Lactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus lactis.

“Findings in this study showed that 8 weeks of mango intake exert beneficial effects in slowing the progression and reducing the severity of IBD, some biomarkers for inflammation and had microbiome-modulatory activities,” wrote the researchers in Nutrition Research.

Study details

The pilot study included ten people with IBD. All the participants received mango pulp doses of 200 to 400 mg per day, starting low and then increasing over the first week.

The results showed that mango pulp was associated with significant improvements in scores on the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI).

In addition, levels of pro-inflammatory IL-8, growth-regulated oncogene (GRO) and GM-CSF decreased by 16.2%, 25.0%, and 28.6%, respectively.

The Texas-based scientists also reported increases in the abundance of various Lactobacillus species, and these were accompanied by higher production of fecal butyric acid.

“Compelling evidence has shown that some SCFAs, particular butyric acid, exert a protective role in maintaining the mucosal barrier in the colon, therefore helping restore the mucosal permeability in IBD,” stated the researchers. “In this study, 8 weeks of mango intake significantly increased fecal level of butyric acid, which may result in enhanced mucosal barrier function.”

“Therefore, enriching diet with mango fruits or potentially other gallotannin-rich foods seems to be a promising adjuvant therapy combined with conventional medications in the management of IBD via reducing biomarkers of inflammation and modulating the intestinal microbiota,” they concluded.

Source: Nutrition Research
Published online, doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2020.01.002
“Mango (Mangifera indica L.) polyphenols reduce IL-8, GRO, and GM-SCF plasma levels and increase Lactobacillus species in a pilot study in patients with inflammatory bowel disease”
Authors; H. Kim et al.