Plant extract reduces gut inflammation in animals
A plant extract long used in Southeast Asian traditional medicine significantly reduced signs of gut inflammation in animal research. The restoration of specific gut metabolites appears to play a central role.
Graptophyllum pictum, known locally as ‘daun wungu’, is a plant with a traditional reputation for anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers tested an extract of this plant in rats with chemically induced colitis, triggered by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).
Less inflammation, more gut-protective compounds
Rats that received the extract lost less weight and had better stool consistency than the untreated group. Blood markers for inflammation, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF-α, were markedly lower in the treated groups. These are signaling molecules involved in sustained inflammation and are also elevated in humans with chronic gut disease.
Particularly notable was the effect on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These are compounds produced by gut bacteria when they break down dietary fiber. They are important for gut wall health and for regulating inflammation. In untreated animals with colitis, SCFA levels were reduced. The study reported recovery of acetate, propionate and butyrate in treated groups, pointing to a restorative effect on the gut microbiome.
Relevance for longevity
Chronic low-grade gut inflammation (inflammaging) is increasingly linked in aging research to systemic aging processes. Interventions that beneficially affect gut inflammation and the microbiome are therefore relevant in a longevity context too. This research is, however, purely animal-based and limited in scale (thirty rats, five groups). Whether comparable effects occur in humans is unknown. The results are preliminary and do not support supplementation recommendations.