Protection against intestinal damage in female Drosophila melanogaster: Comparative contribution of arabinoxylan and its non-covalent/covalent complexes with catechin

Both arabinoxylan (AX) and catechin (CA) have shown promising therapeutic potential for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the efficacy of their covalent (S, CP) and non-covalent (PM) complexes against IBD remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of AX, CA, and their respective complexes in a Drosophila melanogaster model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Results demonstrated that covalent AX-CA complexes generated by ultrasonic treatment provided the greatest therapeutic benefits, followed by those produced using cold plasma treatment. These complexes significantly improved survival rates, restored locomotor activity, enhanced metabolic rate, improved intestinal barrier function, markedly reduced the expression of genes associated with JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and concurrently upregulated the expression of genes within the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway.