Are There New Ways To Treat Chronic Inflammation?

While previous research focused on blocking a single cytokine or signaling pathway at a time, many diseases and sequela are driven by more than one cytokine, which has caused researchers to wonder if it could be possible to block more important signaling pathways of the IL-1 family at the same time - and in this way make it possible to develop better treatments. The researchers try to find a broader anti-inflammatory treatment impacting several important cytokines at the same time, but also trying to avoid that this causes unintended side-effects.

In this study, the researchers have investigated if a receptor (IL-1R3), which is not just involved in the signaling of one but six different inflammatory cytokines in the IL-1 family, could be a possible target in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease. Using an antibody to block the effect of IL-1R3, it was possible for the researchers to investigate the effects in both studies on cells and mice.

In this way, researchers could study some of the consequences of the blocking of this receptor on the immune system. At the same time, the researchers specifically studied the effect of blocking IL-1R3 in mice with either gout, acute allergic inflammation (asthma) or psoriasis. "The experiments showed that it was possible to effectively block the receptor and reduce manifestation of diseases, which underlines the potentials in our new approach," says MD and Ph.D. Jesper Falkesgaard Højen. "Even though new questions arise as consequences of these results, we have managed to describe a new and effective approach to block IL-1 family-driven inflammation, and in this way we have possibly contributed with a new direction to study and treat chronic inflammatory conditions driven by the IL-1 family."

Reducing Inflammation With Strawberries

Is it possible to treat an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) without the use of medications and surgery? The team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts led by Hang Xiao, Ph.D. believes that strawberry can treat colon inflammation in patients that have IBD and even the general public. The study concentrated on using the whole fruit rather than the extracts and purified compounds which other studies seem to base their research. “When you only test the purified compounds and extracts, you miss out on a lot of other important components in berries such as dietary fiber, as well as phenolic compounds bound to the fibers that can’t be extracted by solvents,” says Yanhui Han, a Ph.D. student involved in conducting the study. Using the whole berries is more beneficial since it’s what people consume and not the extracts.

A cupful of strawberries will help in decreasing colon inflammation which causes IBD which has been linked with colorectal cancer, according to the research. Their experiment included using four groups of mice. One group was healthy while the remaining three groups had IBD. They fed the healthy group with a regular diet while the other group had a regular diet and a diet with whole strawberry powder.

The motive was to feed the mice with the same amount of strawberry a human being is likely to consume. At the end of the research, they found out that the symptoms of IBD in the mice reduced significantly. The colon inflammation, diarrhea, and weight loss were suppressed. In addition to this, their gut health also improved. The harmful bacteria - which increases in the microbiota composition due to the inflammatory bowel disease - drastically reduced while the healthy bacteria increased.

The equivalent of the whole strawberry powder fed to the mice during the experiment is a three-quarter cup of strawberries. The researchers have advised patients suffering from IBD to eat this amount of strawberries per day to reduce colon inflammation and improve their gut health.

Benefits Of Eating Strawberries

Strawberries have numerous health benefits and are more effective when eaten every day. They are very high in dietary fiber which especially contributes to regulating bowel movement and maintaining a healthy weight. They are also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C which helps to fight against radicals that cause diseases and attack the immune system.

Aside from reducing colon inflammation and increasing gut health, strawberries also help to fight against cancer. Various studies have shown that strawberries possess cancer-fighting properties which help to prevent precancerous growths from increasing in size. It decreases the risk of colorectal cancer along with other cancers such as the stomach, esophagus, and lung cancer.

Strawberry also helps to improve your vision as it contains a large amount of vitamin C which is good for eyesight. It reduces the risk of cataracts as well as slows down the degeneration of vision related to old age. Other awesome benefits of strawberries include preventing heart attacks, protecting the blood vessels, increasing energy level, and lowering bad cholesterol.

Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list.  

Written By:

Lisa S. Jones is a certified nurse, nutritionist, fitness coach and health expert. Her training credentials include  a B.Sc. in Nursing from California State University in 2013 and Youth Nutrition Specialist Certification from the American Fitness Professionals and Associates in 2015. In 2017, she also received Holistic Nutrition Certification from the American Fitness Professionals and Associates.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Afif Kusuma on Unsplash