Moringa oleifera leaf polysaccharide alleviates experimental colitis by inhibiting inflammation and maintaining intestinal barrier

Researchers investigated whether moringa oleifera leaf polysaccharide (MOLP) could protect against ulcerative colitis using a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. They induced colitis in mice using dextran sulfate sodium in drinking water for seven days, while simultaneously treating groups with different doses of MOLP. The polysaccharide extract had a molecular weight of 182,989 kDa and contained eleven different sugar components, with galactose and arabinose being the most abundant. MOLP treatment significantly reduced intestinal inflammation and protected the gut barrier. Mice receiving MOLP showed less colon damage, fewer destroyed intestinal crypts, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration compared to untreated colitis mice. The treatment preserved important barrier proteins like zonula occludens-1 and occludin that normally get damaged during colitis. MOLP also increased anti-inflammatory signals while suppressing pro-inflammatory pathways including the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB cascade that drives intestinal inflammation. The polysaccharide upregulated beneficial molecules like interleukin-10 and PPAR-γ that help resolve inflammation and maintain gut health. This study demonstrates that moringa leaf polysaccharides work through multiple mechanisms to protect against experimental colitis, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for inflammatory bowel conditions.