Luteolin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Colonic Hypermobility in Water Avoidance Stress Rats by Activating the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

Scope: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an intestinal disorder, whose symptoms can be alleviated by certain dietary phytochemicals. This study explores the role and potential mechanisms of a natural flavonoid luteolin (LUT) in alleviating the excessive motility of colonic smooth muscles and reducing oxidative stress in IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) rats.

Methods and results: LUT reduces excessive intestinal motility and lowers Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels in a water avoidance stress (WAS) rat model. Moreover, LUT increases the protein expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), activates the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and greatly reduces the hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ )-induced oxidative damage in intestinal epithelial cells.

Conclusions: LUT, a phyto-active component, protects against excessive intestinal motility and diarrhea by regulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway and effectively reduces oxidative stress damage in the colon.

Nrf2, oxidative stress; antioxidants, gastrointestinal motility, luteolin.