How taheebo prevents colitis

South Korean researchers reported that a taheebo water extract could regulate mucosal inflammation in colitis. Their mice model showed that oral treatment using its aqueous extract mobilized dendritic cells and macrophages against inflammation-causing T helper cells, thereby reducing the excessive response of the immune system.

The study was conducted by the Sejong University and the Hongcheon Institute of Medicinal Herb. Its results appeared in the science journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• Earlier studies by Byeon, et al. (2008) and Lee, et al. (2012) investigated the use of taheebo water extract as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. However, it is unknown if it could treat mucosal immune responses associated with colitis.
• The extract was produced from the dried bark of the lapacho tree. It was tested on mice with colitis induced by artificial chemicals.
• Taheebo water extract was shown to trigger dendritic cells into releasing immunosuppressants. It also influenced anti-inflammatory properties in macrophages so that the altered phagocytes did not damage healthy cells.
• The combination of anti-inflammatories and immunosuppressants significantly improved the amount of inflammation-suppressing cells. At the same time, the levels of the inflammatory cells vastly diminished.
• Furthermore, the extract decreased the clinical symptoms that marked colitis. By boosting Type II T helper immune responses, it minimized the loss of body weight and reduced inflammation in the colon.

The researchers concluded that taheebo water extract could become a potential treatment option for colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases.

Read the full study at this link.

Find more articles on taheebo and other healing herbs at Herbs.news.

Journal Reference:

Park HJ, Lee SW, Kwon DJ, Heo SI, Park SH, Kim SY, Hong S. ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF TAHEEBO (TABEBUIA AVELLANEDAE LORENTZ EX GRISEB.) WATER EXTRACT PREVENTS DSS-INDUCED COLITIS IN MICE BY UP-REGULATING TYPE II T HELPER IMMUNE RESPONSES. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 6 September 2017;17(448). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1952-4.