Therapeutic systems based on natural gut microbiota modulators: the latest advances in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays an indispensable role in maintaining gut health. However, the imbalance of gut microbiota under inflammatory conditions is closely related to the acceleration of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) progression. Consequently, modulating the gut microbiota is one of the crucial strategies for treating IBD. Naturally sourced phytonutrients, probiotics, prebiotics, gut microbiota metabolites and extracellular vesicles (EVs) exhibit remarkable gut microbiota regulation capabilities through diverse pathways, for instance, exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, competing with harmful bacteria for nutrients, selectively promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, regulating immune homeostasis, and so on. Since they are all derived from nature and exhibit excellent gut microbiota modulation capabilities, we define them as “natural gut microbiota modulators” (NGMMs). In recent years, the thriving development of therapeutic systems has illuminated the direction for the advancement of NGMMs. Constructing therapeutic systems based on MGMMs can overcome the challenges they face in treating IBD and significantly enhance their therapeutic efficacy. In this review, We first reviewed the role of gut microbiota in IBD, and then systematically summarized how the therapeutic system based on NGMMs positively influences the intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, we sort out the challenges faced by these therapeutic systems and offer insights into their prospects.