Diet supporting therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases

PURPOSE: Non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. More and more often attention is paid to the possibility of dietary support for inflammatory bowel diseases. METHODS: The following review article considers the role of dietary components in the treatment of IBD as: pteridines, probiotics, bovine immunoglobulin, vitamin D, omega-3, flavonoids, polyphenols, curcumin and phosphatidylcholine. The article also discusses plant raw materials of arjuna, soy protein and nettles, trying to summarize their effect on quenching the inflammatory process within the intestines. This review focuses on the possibilities of dietary components and supplementation use to improve the pharmacotherapy response as well as the general clinical patients’ condition. RESULTS: The mechanism of action of supportive therapy is based on reduction in oxidative stress, maintaining the adequate balance between Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes by affecting cytokines, increasing riboflavin supply for macrophages, increasing expression of vitamin D receptor, regulation by decreasing the expression of NF-κB in liver cells and ability to inhibit the COX2 entrance and inactivate prostaglandins that are involved in the inflammatory process and 12-lipoxygenase pathway inhibition. CONCLUSION: Considering clinical researches, it seems that the use of the above-mentioned ingredients in the diet of patients suffering IBD may positively influence the treatment process and maintenance of remission.