Clinical Outcomes of Oat Beta-Glucan Nutritional Intervention in Ulcerative Colitis: Case Reports of a Female and a Male Patient

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases include Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). These diseases are characterized by periods of exacerbated inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, interspersed with periods of remission. Current pharmacological interventions are only partially effective. There is a need for effective dietary therapies and interventions involving plant substances that can alleviate the course of this disease. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of a 28-day dietary intervention involving a 3% solution of chemically pure, low-molar-mass oat beta-glucan (OBG) in patients diagnosed with de novo UC. Similar-aged men and women were compared. Methods: The OBG was isolated and prepared for consumption as a sterile aqueous suspension. This solution had previously been evaluated for in vitro toxicity using 3D intestinal co-cultures comprising Caco-2, HT29-MTX and THP-1 cells. Before and after the dietary intervention, endoscopic colon examinations were performed and blood hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters, as well as stool calprotectin concentrations, were analyzed. The Disease Activity Index (DAI), endoscopic Mayo score, the Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index (LCAI) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were also determined. Following dietary intervention, the Mayo score, DAI, fecal calprotectin levels, and indices of peripheral blood white cells, CRP, and pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations were decreased. Results/Conclusions: The obtained results demonstrated the beneficial effect of dietary intervention with OBG in accelerating the achievement of clinical remission in patients with UC.