Butyrate in the treatment of ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Butyrate, a substance produced in the colon via bacterial fermentation processes, constitutes an important source of energy for colonic mucosa cells. It also plays an important role in the regulation of intraluminal homeostasis, modulation of inflammation, control of cellular proliferation and differentiation, and repair of mucosal lesions.

Butyrate has been studied in clinical applications, particularly inflammatory bowel diseases of the colon. While available data are not entirely conclusive, this substance appears to have a useful therapeutic role complementary to that of standard drugs. A body of experimental data also suggests that this short-chain fatty acid may exert preventive action against colorectal cancer, but for the moment this is still a hypothesis that remains to be verified. More generally, butyrate has been shown to be useful in certain types of diarrhoea, particularly chronic forms, by promoting absorption of water and electrolytes.