A team of researchers in the United States has discovered how red cabbage juice can alleviate digestive health conditions associated with inflammation, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia, led by Dr. Sathyanarayana Rachagani, an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. The research was carried out on mice and published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Red cabbage contains a variety of biologically active compounds that work to improve gut health and alleviate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease in mice.

Dr. Rachagani explained that "red cabbage juice alters the composition of gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria. This leads to increased production of short-chain fatty acids and other bacterial-derived metabolites that reduce inflammation."

Furthermore, these changes in gut microbiota are associated with improved intestinal barrier function (the barrier between the intestines and blood vessels that transport nutrients) and enhanced repair of the colon. The juice also exhibits antioxidant effects, ultimately reducing intestinal damage and inflammation.

Additionally, co-researcher Dr. Nagabhushaneshwar Surabhi Natesh highlighted that red cabbage juice enhances regulatory T cells (a type of immune cell), promoting an anti-inflammatory immune balance and reducing colonic inflammation.

Mice are widely used for studying inflammatory bowel disease because mouse colitis closely resembles human ulcerative colitis.