Chlorella pyrenoidosa ameliorates ulcerative colitis by tuning intestinal microecology: Butyric acid is a crucial player

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory condition of the colon. Chlorella pyrenoidosa (CP) possesses prebiotic-like properties and has long been utilized for various diseases. However, the effects and mechanisms of CP on UC are not fully understood. In this study, we utilized dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice to assess the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of CP against UC. Our findings reveal a range of beneficial outcomes of CP in the management of UC. Mechanistically, the beneficial effects of CP are closely linked to the restoration of intestinal microecology, as evidenced by the normalization of intestinal mucosal architecture, immunological functions, microbial composition, and short-chain fatty acids production after CP consumption, particularly butyric acid, which plays a significant role in inhibiting colonic cell apoptosis. In conclusion, CP could be a prebiotic or nutraceutical and deliberate manipulation of intestinal microecology emerges as a promising strategy for UC therapy.

Keywords

• Ulcerative colitis
• Chlorella pyrenoidosa
• Intestinal microecology
• Butyric acid