Effects of the use of medicinal plants in inflammatory bowel diseases: an integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47236/2594-7036.2025.v9.1560Keywords:
Antioxidants, Ulcerative colitis, Medicinal plantsAbstract
The objective of the present study was to verify the therapeutic effects of the use of medicinal plants in inflammatory bowel diseases through an integrative review. The PubMed, SciElo and LILACS databases were used, using specific descriptors for the search and inclusion/exclusion criteria to define the scope of the research. Of the 2,488 articles found, only 25 were used to integrate the collection. Clinical research articles involving both humans and animals were selected. Medicinal plants were mostly used in the form of hydroalcoholic extract as well as in the form of suppositories, tea infusions, flour and pulp. Only one study failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the extract used, however, all research showed significant benefits such as decreased weight loss, fecal bleeding, pro-inflammatory cytokines, leukocyte recruitment, disease activity and increased antioxidant activity. Medicinal plants can act as a complementary treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases by alleviating symptoms, increasing tissue healing and preventing the development of the disease, without causing side effects.Downloads
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Copyright (c) 2025 Leonardo Augusto da Silva, Miguel Augusto Lopes Neto, Geovan Figueirêdo de Sá-Filho
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