New Study Reveals That the Phytochemical Danthron from Rhubarb Calms Gut Inflammation
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 28, 2026 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
Medical News: Researchers from multiple medical institutions in China have uncovered promising new evidence that a natural compound called danthron could help reduce intestinal inflammation and protect the gut in people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD. The research team includes scientists from the Comprehensive Laboratory at BenQ Medical Center and The Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, the Clinical Translational Research Center for Surgical Infection and Immunity of Nanjing Medical University, and the Department of General Surgery at BenQ Medical Center in Nanjing, China.
Danthron from rhubarb shows strong potential to reduce gut inflammation and protect the intestinal lining
Understanding the Problem of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
IBD is a long-lasting condition that mainly includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, fatigue, and weight loss. Over time, ongoing inflammation can damage the lining of the intestines and may even increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Current treatments can help manage symptoms but often come with side effects or lose effectiveness over time, creating a strong need for safer and more effective therapies.
What Is Danthron and Why It Matters
Danthron is a naturally occurring compound extracted from rhubarb, a plant long used in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies suggested that danthron has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but exactly how it works in intestinal diseases was not clearly understood. This
Medical News report highlights a detailed investigation that explored how danthron affects inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut barrier damage in laboratory cells, intestinal organoids, and animal models of colitis.
How the Study Was Conducted
The researchers used advanced techniques including gene analysis, cell-based experiments, and a widely accepted mouse model of colitis. They focused on two major biological systems involved in gut inflammation. One system promotes inflammation and cell damage, while the other activates the body’s own antioxidant defenses. By examining immune cells, intestinal lining cells, and gut tissue, the team was able to see how danthron influenced these pathways at multiple levels.
Key Findings Explained Simply
The study showed that danthron significantly reduced harmful inflammation signals and lowered the production of damaging reactive oxygen molecules, often referred to as oxidative stress. It helped protect mitochondria, the energy producing parts of cells, preventing them from breaking down under stress.
Danthron also reduced the activity of aggressive immune cells that worsen inflammation while preserving the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Importantly, mice treated with danthron experienced less weight loss, milder diarrhea, reduced intestinal bleeding, and healthier colon tissue compared to untreated animals. The c
ompound also supported better healing and regeneration of intestinal cells in organoid models.
Why These Results Are Important
Together, the findings suggest that danthron works in a balanced way by calming harmful inflammatory signals while boosting natural antioxidant defenses. This dual action allowed the gut lining to heal, reduced immune cell invasion, and restored normal intestinal structure. These results provide strong early evidence that danthron could become a multi target therapeutic option for managing IBD in the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that danthron has powerful protective effects against intestinal inflammation by reducing oxidative stress, calming immune overactivity, and strengthening the gut barrier. By acting on multiple disease driving pathways at once, danthron shows promise as a safer and more comprehensive treatment strategy for inflammatory bowel disease, pending further clinical studies in humans.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Antioxidants.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/15/2/157
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