Consuming polyphenols in apple peel inhibits the activity of immune cells that are involved in the development of inflammatory bowel disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Autoimmune enteritis was alleviated in mice that received a dose of these compounds.
According to the authors of the study, this discovery could lead to the development of new treatments for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and inflammatory-related colon cancer.
Previous studies have shown that polyphenols from various plants modulate the activity of the immune system and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Dr. David W. Pascual of Montana State University in Bozeman (USA) points out that many patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases use dietary supplements with polyphenols in addition to conventional therapies. However, there is not enough good scientific evidence to justify doing so.
The scientist and his colleagues conducted research on mice in which enteritis was attempted to be chemically induced with sodium dextran sodium. One group of animals was given a daily oral dose of placebo, and the other group a dose of apple peel polyphenols. These compounds are classified as antioxidants due to their ability to neutralize free radicals.
It turned out that thanks to the polyphenols from apples, rodents were protected against inflammatory bowel disease. The administration of these substances suppressed the production of the so-called Pro-inflammatory cytokines (ie compounds produced by immune cells and stimulating inflammatory processes) including interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Moreover, mice receiving polyphenols had less active T cells in their intestines, which mediate the development of inflammation.
“Our results show that the natural ingredients in apple peel can inhibit inflammation in the gut by blocking T lymphocytes and thus reduce the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases,” comments Dr. Pascual.