Phytonutrient diet supplementation promotes beneficial Clostridia species and intestinal mucus secretion resulting in protection against enteric infection.

ABSTRACT: Plant extracts, or phytonutrients, are used in traditional medicine practices as supplements to enhance the immune system and gain resistance to various infectious diseases and are used in animal production as health promoting feed additives. To date, there are no studies that have assessed their mechanism of action and ability to alter mucosal immune responses in the intestine. We characterized the immunomodulatory function of six phytonutrients: anethol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, capsicum oleoresin and garlic extract. Mice were treated with each phytonutrient to assess changes to colonic gene expression and mucus production. All six phytonutrients showed variable changes in expression of innate immune genes in the colon. However only eugenol stimulated production of the inner m

SUBMITTER: Wlodarska M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4365398 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature