Investigation of natural minerals for ulcerative colitis therapy

Ulcerative colitis (UC) affects millions of people worldwide and is currently incurable. As such, there is an urgent need for effective drugs that will promote UC remission. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of five typical natural minerals on UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS): kaolinite (Kaol), halloysite (Hal), diatomite (Dia), montmorillonite (Mt), and palygorskite (Pal). These minerals were characterized by lamellar, tubular, columnar porous, and fibrous morphologies, as well as centered size distribution and negative charge. In vivo experiments indicated that natural minerals had a remission effect on UC and altered gut flora, especially Kaol. These results suggest that natural minerals can serve as drugs, or drug carriers, to attain synergistic effects with other drugs for UC therapy.