Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The May 2016 issue of the Archives of Medical Research reported the outcome of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study that found a benefit for supplementing with resveratrol in adults with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. Ulcerative colitis "can occur and develop notably as a result of oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species," according to the authors of the report.

The study included 56 participants diagnosed with active mild to moderate disease. Subjects were randomized to receive 500 milligrams resveratrol or a placebo daily for six weeks. Colitis activity, quality of life and other factors were assessed by questionnaires administered at the beginning and end of the study. Blood samples collected at these time points were analyzed for serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase (SOD, an antioxidant) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA, a marker for oxidative stress).

At the end of six weeks, participants who received a placebo experienced a decrease in SOD and an elevation in MDA in comparison with levels measured prior to the intervention. However, among those who received resveratrol, MDA was significantly lower and total antioxidant capacity and SOD were higher compared to pretreatment levels and to levels measured in the placebo group at the end of the study. Treatment with resveratrol was also associated with significantly decreased disease activity and improvement in quality of life compared to the placebo.

"To our knowledge, this is the first double-blind, placebo controlled, clinical trial that has shown the effects of resveratrol supplementation on oxidative stress in patients with ulcerative colitis," authors Maryam Samsamikor and colleagues announce.

"This randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial found some evidence that 6 weeks, 500 mg/day resveratrol supplementation can improve quality of life in patients with active mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, at least partially through attenuation of oxidative stress," they conclude. "Further studies with longer duration and different dosage of supplementation are needed to confirm the clinical application of the present results."