Polyphenols in the treatment of autoimmune diseases

Publication date: Available online 3 May 2019Source: Autoimmunity ReviewsAuthor(s): Haroon Khan, Antoni Sureda, Tarun Belwal, Sümeyra Çetinkaya, İpek Süntar, Silvia Tejada, Hari Prasad Devkota, Hammad Ullah, Michael AschnerAbstractIn addition to protecting body from infections and diseases, the immune system produces auto-antibodies that can cause complex autoimmune disorders, such as Type I diabetes, primary biliary cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, to name a few. In such cases, the immune system fails to recognize between foreign agents and its own body cells. Different factors, such as genetic factors (CD25, STAT4), epigenetic factors (DNA methylation, histone modifications) and environmental factors (xenobiotics, drugs, hormones) trigger autoimmunity. Glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), immunosuppressive and biological agents are currently used to manage autoimmune diseases of different origins. However, complete cure remains elusive. Many dietary and natural products including polyphenols have been widely studied as possible alternative treatment strategies for the management of autoimmune disorders. Polyphenols possess a wide-range of pharmacological and therapeutic properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. As immunomodulatory agents, polyphenols are emerging pharmaceutical tools for management of various autoimmune disorders including vitiligo, ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis (M...
Source: Autoimmunity Reviews - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research