Quercetin alleviates ulcerative colitis via regulating gut microbiota and tryptophan metabolism.

ABSTRACT: Quercetin, a natural flavonoid in traditional Chinese medicinal plants, has shown promise in alleviating ulcerative colitis symptoms despite uncertainties about its exact mode of action. This study explored how quercetin influences tryptophan breakdown and gut bacterial populations in mice with chemically induced colitis. The treatment demonstrated measurable improvements-normalizing body weight, reducing spleen enlargement, lowering clinical severity scores, preserving colon structure, and healing tissue damage. Through advanced microbiome profiling and metabolic analysis, researchers observed increased populations of helpful gut microbes alongside higher concentrations of tryptophan byproducts. These biochemical shifts stimulated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor system, which plays a key ro

SUBMITTER: Xiong M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12710315 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature