Abstract
Until recently, glia were considered to be a structural support for neurons, however further investigations showed that glial cells are equally as important as neurons. Among many different types of glia, enteric glial cells (EGCs) found in the gastrointestinal tract, have been significantly underestimated, but proved to play an essential role in neuroprotection, immune system modulation and many other functions. They are also said to be remarkably altered in different physiopathological conditions. A nutraceutical is defined as any food substance or part of a food that provides medical or health benefits, including prevention and treatment of the disease. Following the description of these interesting peripheral glial cells and highlighting their role in physiological and pathological changes, this article reviews all the studies on the effects of nutraceuticals as modulators of their functions. Currently there are only a few studies available concerning the effects of nutraceuticals on EGCs. Most of them evaluated molecules with antioxidant properties in systemic conditions, whereas only a few studies have been performed using models of gastrointestinal disorders. Despite the scarcity of studies on the topic, all agree that nutraceuticals have the potential to be an interesting alternative in the prevention and/or treatment of enteric gliopathies (of systemic or local etiology) and their associated gastrointestinal conditions.
Highlights
In the case of megacolon occurring in the course of Chagas disease and idiopathic megacolon, there was a remarkable reduction in the number of neurons and enteric glial cell (EGC) in the enteric nervous system (ENS) in the colonic specimens collected during surgery
We have reviewed the physiopathological roles of a relatively unstudied type of peripheral glial cells, i.e., enteric glial cells, as well as the research evaluating the effects of different nutraceuticals and food components on them
Studies on the modulatory effects that nutraceuticals exert on EGCs are relatively scarce, those using models of GI diseases, such as Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in which PEA [28], CBD [104] and berberine [105] reduced inflammation, at least partly, through modulation of EGCs
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a complex network of neurons and accompanying glial cells (enteric glial cells, EGCs) which controls the major functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Among the different types of glial cells (for example, astrocytes, microglia, Schwann cells), EGCs have been mostly underestimated, regarding the modulation of their functions by nutraceuticals. We focus on the enteric glia, their role and functions in physiology and pathology as well as the available studies on the effects of different nutraceuticals as modulators of these interesting cells.
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