BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PROBIOTICS ON INTESTINAL MUCOSA IN PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS
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Keywords
Ulcerative colitis, Probiotics, intestinal mucosa, inflammation, CRP, calprotectin, mucosal healing, IBDQ, gut microbiota
Abstract
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease marked by mucosal inflammation of the colon. While conventional treatments focus on immune suppression, emerging evidence highlights the role of gut microbiota in disease modulation. Probiotics non-viable bacterial components and metabolites have shown promise in improving gut health without the risks associated with live probiotics. ‘This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical and physiological effects of Probiotics on intestinal mucosal health in patients with ulcerative colitis’.
Methods: A prospective, interventional study was conducted at Gomal Medical College, MTI Dera Ismail Khan, from January to June 2024. Seventy-one patients with confirmed ulcerative colitis were enrolled and divided into two groups. The intervention group received standard therapy along with oral Probiotics for 8 weeks, while the control group received only standard treatment. Clinical scores, inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, IL-6, fecal calprotectin), mucosal healing, and patient-reported outcomes (IBDQ) were assessed before and after the intervention.
Results: Patients receiving Probiotics demonstrated significant reductions in CRP, ESR, IL-6, and fecal calprotectin compared to controls (p < 0.05). Improvements were also seen in clinical severity scores and IBDQ quality-of-life measures. ‘A higher proportion of patients in the probiotics group showed mucosal healing and better histological preservation of goblet cells and tight junction integrity, though not all were statistically significant'.
Conclusion: Probiotics supplementation may offer a safe and effective adjunct to standard therapy in ulcerative colitis by modulating inflammation, enhancing mucosal barrier integrity, and improving patient quality of life. Larger trials are recommended to validate these promising findings.
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Dr Muhammad Imran ullah
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Gomal Medical College – MTI, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
Dr Amna Ihsan
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
Dr Moeen ul Haq
Assistant Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Gomal Medical College – MTI, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Razaq
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Jinnah Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Rakhshanda Naheed
Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Loralai Medical College, Loralai, Pakistan
Dr Nadia Iqbal
Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology, Women Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan