Ulcerative Colitis

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• Definition
• Introduction
• Signs & Symptoms
• Research Summary

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Executive Summary

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Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Research into Chinese medicine treatment for Ulcerative Colitis" summarising the research below and using language that can be easily understood by patients and avoiding medical jargon using a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Researched Chinese medicine treatments for Ulcerative Colitis" summarising the research below in an objective and easy to understand way, and using language that can be easily understood by patients. Group the article into Chinese medicine treatments first, followed by nutrition and other treatments. Avoid using medical jargon and use a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write me a concise but easy to understand executive summary on the topic of "Chinese medicine treatments for Ulcerative Colitis" based on the following research that I will give you. Your summary should be 2 paragraphs long in Australian English spelling and include references to the studies.

A Systematic Review published in 2024 in the journal Heliyon found that Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies have shown effectiveness in treating ulcerative colitis according to the summarised-findings of various systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methodology: This evaluative study used an extensive and systematic methods to search data from seven different databases. The selected data were further refined by using different screening and evaluation frameworks like AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, ROBIS, and GRADE systems. These were used to determine the methodological quality, reporting quality, risk of bias, and the quality of evidence in the selected studies. Discussion of results: After critical evaluation, the study found ten relevant reviews and analyses that showed potential for acupuncture and moxibustion therapies being effective in ulcerative colitis treatment. However, many the identified studies were reported to have several problems in their overall design and quality of outcomes. The researchers therefore stress caution when interpreting these results due to the lack of high-quality evidence in the existing studies.

A Theoretical Article published in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology found that Traditional Chinese medicine has been found to effectively treat ulcerative colitis by repairing various components of the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier. In the methodology, the study sought to uncover the efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating ulcerative colitis (UC). The research began by acknowledging the key role that damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier plays in the development of UC. It then explored how TCM could combat UC by protecting and repairing various aspects of this barrier including the physical, chemical, immune, and biological barrier. In the results discussion, it was discovered that TCM not only increases the number of intestinal epithelial cells, tight junction proteins, and mucins, but also encourages the proliferation of intestinal stem cells, restores the abundance of the intestinal microbiota, and modulates immunity in the gut. Moreover, the study identified several upstream proteins and signaling pathways that were activated in the process. This gives hope to future treatment plans for UC using TCM, with the study providing a fundamental theoretical basis and new ideas for future investigations.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2023 in the journal Medicine found that Acupoint application has been proven to be a safe and effective method for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The methodology incorporated a systematic review of various databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biology Medicine, VIP, Wanfang, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science up to July 2022 to find published randomized controlled trials on the use of acupoint application in treating ulcerative colitis. Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis were then performed on the selected studies. The results from the 13 analyzed trials involving a total of 878 cases revealed that the use of acupoint application improved the rates of effective clinical comprehensive and syndrome in ulcerative colitis treatment compared to conventional western medicine. The method also showed advantages in increasing interleukin-4 and reducing interferon-gamma. Also noted was that there were no variances seen regarding colonoscopy, pathological examination, and reaction rates when compared with traditional methods. The quality of the evidence used for these conclusions varied, with some being of moderate quality and others deemed low or very low quality.

A Cohort Study published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that Shenling Baizhu San (SBS), combined with mesalamine, can treat ulcerative colitis effectively by changing gut microbiota structures and increasing tryptophan metabolite levels. The methodology involved conducting a prospective cohort study to explore the potential therapeutic effects of SBS, used as a complementary medicine with mesalamine, on ulcerative colitis patients. There were 48 patients included in the study, out of which 24 were a part of the control group and given just mesalamine, while the remaining patients in the experimental group were administered mesalamine along with SBS. The efficacy of these treatments was evaluated after an elapsed period of 8 weeks. The study utilized procedures like 16S rRNA sequencing to observe the structures of gut microbiota (GMB), and UPLC-MS/MS to analyze microbial tryptophan metabolites. In terms of results discussion, the study noticed that the combination of SBS and mesalamine significantly enhanced the clinical symptoms of ulcerative colitis. This was observed through mucosal healing and reduced damage to the colon that the medicinal combination induced. The research also highlighted a novel discovery, the alteration of gut microbiota structures, and an observable increase in microbial levels of tryptophan metabolites when both SBS and mesalamine were used. This led to the conclusion that SBS acted as an effective supplementary therapy to the standard treatment, easing ulcerative colitis through an identified GMB-tryptophan metabolite axis.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Chinese Medicine found that Chinese herbal medicine interventions, particularly those based on the Bai-Tou-Weng-Tang and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San formulas, show promise in treating Ulcerative Colitis. This study analyzed Ulcerative Colitis clinical trials that used Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) interventions by systematically searching seven electronic databases for articles published in English and Chinese until November 25, 2020. The focus was on different CHM treatments, including both single herbs and CHM formulas. Descriptive statistics were utilized to portray the characteristics of these studies, along with collecting commonly Chinese Medicine (CM) patterns of UC and frequently used CHM herbs and formulas. The data from a total of 2311 studies were compiled, most of which were Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that utilized CHM formulas. Findings revealed that the most commonly reported CM pattern in UC was 'Large Intestine Dampness-Heat', with 'Spleen Deficiency' being the basic CM pattern-type reported. Top CHM treatment formulas included Bai-Tou-Weng-Tang and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San. The most frequently used single medicinals were Huang Lian and Bai Zhu. Common Western medicine compounds used in tandem with CHM treatments were Sulfasalazine and Mesalazine.

A Review Article published in 2022 in the journal Journal of Medicinal Food found that Omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent and manage chronic inflammatory diseases, including ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis, through influencing gut microbiota. The study primarily encompasses a review of both experimental and clinical studies on the influence of omega-3 fatty acids on chronic inflammatory conditions, with the attention being specifically focused on those diseases with an autoimmune background. The study highlights the role of these fatty acids in maintaining bodily homeostasis, as well as the enzymatic processes they trigger within the body upon ingestion. Natural sources of omega-3 are also explored, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. In their exploration of omega-3's impact on inflammatory conditions, the researchers revisit the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis under the theoretical approach of gut microbiota dysbiosis. This approach emphasizes the role of the gut in maintaining health and identifies how imbalances can contribute to the development and persistence of these conditions. The researchers propose that omega-3 fatty acids are able to prevent and control these conditions, which are significant contributors to global chronic health burden and can lead to severe complications and disabilities if not treated. The potential of omega-3's to prevent severe illness in cases of COVID-19 infection through immune system modulation and control of the inflammatory process is also briefly explored.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2021 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that Traditional Chinese Medicine may potentially be a viable treatment option for ulcerative colitis, but its effectiveness varies depending on the method of administration applied. The authors conducted an extensive electronic literature search across six databases to find systematic reviews about the use of various Chinese medicine therapies for ulcerative colitis. They evaluated the reviews based on the methodology used for assessing their quality. Nine interventions fit the eligibility criteria from the 73 systematic reviews used for the study. It was found that the disease stages of patients with ulcerative colitis ranged greatly and therefore, influenced the outcomes of various treatment approaches. The authors found that the results mostly favored the method of intervention used, with oral administration combined with an enema being the most widely preferred administration route. Notably, many of the reviews didn't report essential factors such as the disease's location, the classification, and the intervention's route of administration. The current evidence indicates that while TCM could be a treatment for UC, it should be applied cautiously due to these inconsistencies.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal International Journal of Biological Macromolecules found that Polysaccharides from tremella fuciformis can attenuate ulcerative colitis. The purpose of this paper was to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFP) on ulcerative colitis (UC) based on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mice UC model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Caco-2 cells model. The results firstly indicated that TFP can significantly alleviate the symptoms and signs of the DSS-induced mice UC model, which manifests as improvement of body weight loss, increase of colon length, decrease of colon thickness and reduction of intestinal permeability. Then, results from histopathological and electron microscope analysis further implied that TFP could dramatically reduce inflammatory cells infiltration and restore intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. In addition, the experiments of LPS-stimulated Caco-2 cells model in vitro also further confirmed that TFP could markedly inhibit the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase related genes or proteins expressions of intestinal barrier and mucus barrier. Taken together, these data suggested that TFP has a significant therapeutic effect on DSS-induced UC model, and its mechanisms are closely linked to the inhibition of inflammation and the restoration of intestinal barrier and mucus barrier function. These beneficial effects may make TFP a promising drug to be used in alleviating UC.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal International Journal of Biological Macromolecules found that Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides effectively reduce inflammation in ulcerative colitis, promoting healing by restoring intestinal and mucus barrier functions. In this study, two models were utilized to investigate the impacts of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides on ulcerative colitis: a dextran sodium sulfate-induced mice model and a lipopolysaccharide-stimulated model using Caco-2 cells. First, the dextran sodium sulfate-induced mice ulcerative colitis model was administered with the Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides. Effects were observed across several indicators such as body weight, colon length, and thickness, as well as intestinal permeability. Following that, histopathological analysis and electron microscope examinations helped delve deeper into the relationship, uncovering a reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration and a restoration of the intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. The lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Caco-2 cells model was used to further understand the role of these polysaccharides in reducing expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing expressions related to intestinal barrier and mucus barrier.

A Review Article published in 2021 in the journal Pharmacological Research found that Baicalin, a Scutellaria baicalensis extract, has been found to have numerous therapeutic applications in liver and gut diseases by mediating apoptosis and immune response pathways. High-throughput screening and bioinformatics technology were utilized in the extraction and study of baicalin from the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, an herb traditionally used in Chinese medicine. The research sought to understand the biological action of baicalin, particularly how it affects diseases related to the liver and gut. The effects were associated mainly with downstream apoptosis and immune response pathways, which are induced by upstream oxidative stress and inflammation. In the discussion of the resultant findings, it was identified that baicalin engages various key factors during oxidative stress regulation. These include PI3K/Akt/NRF2, Keap-1, NF-κB, and HO-1, contributing to the healing effects of baicalin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, ulcerative colitis, and cholestasis. Further, it was discovered that baicalin plays a therapeutic role in regulating inflammatory response and apoptosis pathways. This ability aids in the alleviation of liver diseases and suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Baicalin was also found to regulate the intestinal flora by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids, shedding new light on the full range of baicalin's pharmacological effects.

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