Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, is a serious digestive disorder characterized by ulcers and inflammation of the large intestine, or colon. Ulcerative colitis impacts the way the colon completes the digestive process. The exact cause of this condition is not fully understood, but it is incurable and is often accompanied by painful symptoms. The pomegranate fruit has natural anti-inflammatory properties that may prove useful as an adjunct treatment for ulcerative colitis.
About Ulcerative Colitis
The colon receives the indigestible portion of foods, such as fiber, from the small intestine and reabsorbs the fluids that the small intestine added to food particles during its role in food breakdown. In your colon, the fiber nourishes healthy bacteria residing in the lining, and the fiber helps to form fecal waste that is later eliminated from the rectum. Inflammation of the colon interferes in these digestive processes, resulting in a range of symptoms, including bouts of bloody diarrhea, rectal pain, abdominal cramps, fatigue and weight loss. Complications of ulcerative colitis can lead to severe dehydration, colon perforations, colon cancer or liver and bone disease.
Treatment
Remission and reduction of inflammation is the general goal of ulcerative colitis treatment. Anti-inflammatory medications are key in controlling symptom flares. Immune system suppressors, antibiotics to prevent bacteria infections, fiber supplements and pain relievers may also be recommended by your physician. Secondary to medical intervention is dietary changes to minimize triggering symptoms. No specific diet exists for ulcerative colitis, but you can learn the specific foods that trigger or alleviate symptoms by keeping a food log and using elimination methods.
Healing Benefit of Pomegranate
Pomegranate is cultivated all over the world but is native to Asia. The fruit bears tart, juicy seeds that can be eaten directly or used to make juice, oil or extract. The pomegranate contains an array of healthful constituents, including antioxidants and polyphenols. Antioxidants protect your cells from damaging molecules, and polyphenols serve a host of protective actions, including as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. The anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranates are of most interest as an adjunct treatment for ulcerative colitis, but pomegranates are not meant to replace conventional medical practices.
Research
A 2009 study published in "Food and Chemical Toxicology" found that pomegranate extract inhibited inflammation of human intestinal cells in laboratory tests. Similarly, a 2010 animal study published by the "Journal of Nutrition Biochemistry" found that colitis-impacted rats responded well to ingesting pomegranate extract and had reduced intestinal inflammation. Research linking the use of pomegranate to reducing inflammation in ulcerative colitis shows promise. However, research is ongoing, and evidence is inconclusive for the exact benefit pomegranate has in treating this condition.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Ulcerative Colitis; August 15, 2009
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America; Diet and Nutrition; June 3, 2011
- Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Properties of a Pomegranate Extract..and the Effect of Colon Inflammation on Phenolic Metabolism; Mar Larrosa et al.; August 2010
- Food and Chemical Toxicology; Inhibition of Inflammatory Mediators By Polyphenolic Plant Extracts in Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells; B. Romier-Crouzet et al.; June 2009
- Alternative Medicine Review; Therapeutic Applications of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.); A Review; Julie Jurenka; 2008
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pomegranate
