Bowel inflammation is a condition associated with diseases of varying severity (such as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, metabolic disorders) and the natural aging process of the body. In a gut with a balanced microbiota (eubiosis), there are microbial families that exert a significant protective effect on overall health. Specifically, these microorganisms produce short-chain fatty acids (propionate, acetate, and butyrate, abbreviated as SCFA), which can
- promote intestinal barrier integrity,
- enhance emotional and cognitive well-being through communication with the nervous system,
- regulate energy metabolism, and
- boost immune system efficiency.
Notably, 70% of immune cells are found in the gut.
Bowel inflammation causes
External factors, like unbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle, indiscriminate use of antibiotics, and stress, can disrupt this balance. Specifically, there is always
- a decrease in families that produce protective compounds (SCFA) and
- an increase in so-called opportunistic pathogens.
These are microbial families naturally present in the microbiota but can cause disease if their proliferation is excessive. These microorganisms preferentially use proteins as their energy source and thus have a proteolytic metabolism. This leads to the biosynthesis of phenolic, indolic, and methylamine compounds, such as indole, skatole, and trimethylamine. These substances have a direct correlation with
- intestinal inflammation,
- thinning of the protective mucus layer of the mucosa resulting in
- immune system activation, and
- increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
This sets up a vicious cycle in which the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens supports excessive immune system activation. Consequently, inflammation creates ideal conditions for the growth of opportunistic pathogens and further supports intestinal dysbiosis.
These conditions are also present in scenarios not strictly pathological, such as aging. In fact, the composition of the microbiota tends to change with advancing age, with an increase in opportunistic pathogens and a reduction in microorganisms with protective effects. Even without significant pathologies, the phenomenon known as “inflammaging” is observed, a term that describes a chronic low-grade inflammation directly correlated with aging processes.
Innovative solutions
Currently, in cases of dysbiosis, nutritional and pharmacological interventions do not always yield the desired results. Therefore, valuable support can come from plant derivatives that have shown to promote intestinal well-being. Our research group at the University of Bologna has analyzed a series of compounds found in the essential oils of various plants. Among these, the essential oil of Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii), that contains geraniol, has demonstrated excellent effects in reducing intestinal inflammation, promoting intestinal barrier integrity, and restoring microbiota eubiosis in preclinical analyses and human trials.
