Exploring the Impact of Cyanidin-3-Glucoside on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Investigating New Mechanisms for Emerging Interventions

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), the most widely distributed anthocyanin (ACN) in edible fruits, has been proposed for several bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, neuro-protective, antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-thrombotic and epigenetic actions. However, habitual intake of ACNs and C3G may vary widely among populations, regions, and seasons, among individuals with different education and financial status. The main point of C3G absorption occurs in the small and large bowel. Therefore, it has been supposed that the treating properties of C3G might affect inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). IBDs develop through complex inflammatory pathways and sometimes may be resistant to conventional treatment strategies. C3G presents antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and antimicrobial effects useful for IBD management. In particular, different studies have demonstrated that C3G inhibits NF-κB pathway activation. In addition, C3G activates the Nrf2 pathway. On the other hand, it modulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes and cytoprotective proteins, such as NAD(P)H, superoxide dismutase, heme-oxygenase (HO-1), thioredoxin, quinone reductase-oxide 1 (NQO1), catalase, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase. Interferon I and II pathways are downregulated by C3G inhibiting interferon-mediating inflammatory cascades. Moreover, C3G reduces reactive species and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as C reactive protein, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12p70, and IL-17A in UC and CD patients. Finally, C3G modulates gut microbiota by inducing an increase in beneficial gut bacteria and increasing microbial abundances, thus mitigating dysbiosis. Thus, C3G presents activities that may have potential therapeutic and protective actions against IBD. Still, in the future, clinical trials should be designed to investigate the bioavailability of C3G in IBD patients and the proper therapeutic doses through different sources, aiming to the standardization of the exact clinical outcome and efficacy of C3G.