Puerarin Rebuilding the Mucus Layer and Regulating Mucin-Utilizing Bacteria to Relieve Ulcerative Colitis

The
colonic mucus barrier serves as a primary defense
against enteric pathogens; destruction of this mucus layer has been
observed in ulcerative colitis patients. This study aims to investigate
the possibility of rebuilding the colon mucus layer through puerarin
supplementation, which can stimulate mucin secretion and goblet cells
differentiation. After puerarin supplementation, the thickness of
colon mucus layer was increased and the permeability was reduced.
The erosion of intestinal epithelium by bacteria was blocked, and
the loss of epithelial integrity was alleviated. Puerarin also altered
the composition of mucin-utilizing bacteria, which influenced the
mucus permeability. Levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were
increased after puerarin supplementation, which as a direct source
of energy for the proliferation of epithelia and goblet cells. This
study demonstrated that enhancement of mucin secretion to relieve
ulcerative colitis (UC) by puerarin supplementation is feasible, and
the regulation of mucin-utilizing bacteria and the increased levels
of SCFAs may be the main reasons.