Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Every individual is born with some dosha that determines its ‘Prakriti’. In the Ayurvedic text, ‘Aamvata’ is a joint disorder causing polyarticular pain and swelling like that in RA, which is texted to be the result of imbalances of gut doshas. It says that accumulation of Ama or undigested food is the cause, as they release endotoxins/ other proteins. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, says that the “gut is the site of all the diseases”. Traditional medicine also emphasises a balanced fibrous diet, nutrition, digestion, good sleep, yoga, and meditation, which holistically affect the body, mind and soul. However, it was not clear how food and digestion could affect different aspects of healthy physiology at that time.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disorder caused by genetic and environmental factors. RA autoimmunity is insidious, with a belief that multiple factors, including genes, infections, and environment, may be responsible for its trigger. But none of these are implicated directly in its onset or progression. Environmental factors can trigger the disease in genetically predisposed individuals. The present therapeutic interventions, such as methotrexate (MTX), biologics, etc., are palliative and affect the immune system, but none are curative. RA shows immense heterogeneity in terms of disease activity, joints involved and response to therapy.
Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted.
Results: Environmental agents, especially gut microbiota, have been found to have an important role in RA. The gut microbiome participates in important body processes, such as efficient digestion and absorption, homeostasis, metabolic processes, and synthesis of nutrients and vitamins, along with developing and working the defence system. Thus, it might be possible that gut dysbiosis may affect severe vitamin D deficiency in RA. A balanced but diversified microbiome in its specific intestinal niche may be important to maintaining immune reaction and good health. However, external or internal conditions can lead to disturbed microbiota where a few microbes overgrow, a few harmful microbes tend to grow, and good ones may be lost or depleted, causing dysbiosis, which can influence balanced inflammatory conditions. Either overuse of antibiotics, eating food which causes gastric disorders or stomach upset, gas production, long persistence of undigested food, lack of sleep, stress, etc., can influence microbial balance. Altered gut microbiota has been reported in infectious diseases, diabetes, obesity, liver disease, cancer, etc.
Conclusion: The present study has explored the effects of the gut microbiome on the onset/progression of Rheumatoid arthritis and the impact of herbal compounds in modulating/altering gut microbiome and, thus, symptoms of RA.
Academic/Professional Position
Community Partner
Academic/Professional Position (Other)
Professor
Recommended Citation
Gupta, Varsha and Prakash, Jaya, "Role of Gut Microbiome in Rheumatoid Arthritis" (2024). Research Symposium. 1.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2024/talks/1
Included in
Role of Gut Microbiome in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Background: Every individual is born with some dosha that determines its ‘Prakriti’. In the Ayurvedic text, ‘Aamvata’ is a joint disorder causing polyarticular pain and swelling like that in RA, which is texted to be the result of imbalances of gut doshas. It says that accumulation of Ama or undigested food is the cause, as they release endotoxins/ other proteins. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, says that the “gut is the site of all the diseases”. Traditional medicine also emphasises a balanced fibrous diet, nutrition, digestion, good sleep, yoga, and meditation, which holistically affect the body, mind and soul. However, it was not clear how food and digestion could affect different aspects of healthy physiology at that time.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disorder caused by genetic and environmental factors. RA autoimmunity is insidious, with a belief that multiple factors, including genes, infections, and environment, may be responsible for its trigger. But none of these are implicated directly in its onset or progression. Environmental factors can trigger the disease in genetically predisposed individuals. The present therapeutic interventions, such as methotrexate (MTX), biologics, etc., are palliative and affect the immune system, but none are curative. RA shows immense heterogeneity in terms of disease activity, joints involved and response to therapy.
Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted.
Results: Environmental agents, especially gut microbiota, have been found to have an important role in RA. The gut microbiome participates in important body processes, such as efficient digestion and absorption, homeostasis, metabolic processes, and synthesis of nutrients and vitamins, along with developing and working the defence system. Thus, it might be possible that gut dysbiosis may affect severe vitamin D deficiency in RA. A balanced but diversified microbiome in its specific intestinal niche may be important to maintaining immune reaction and good health. However, external or internal conditions can lead to disturbed microbiota where a few microbes overgrow, a few harmful microbes tend to grow, and good ones may be lost or depleted, causing dysbiosis, which can influence balanced inflammatory conditions. Either overuse of antibiotics, eating food which causes gastric disorders or stomach upset, gas production, long persistence of undigested food, lack of sleep, stress, etc., can influence microbial balance. Altered gut microbiota has been reported in infectious diseases, diabetes, obesity, liver disease, cancer, etc.
Conclusion: The present study has explored the effects of the gut microbiome on the onset/progression of Rheumatoid arthritis and the impact of herbal compounds in modulating/altering gut microbiome and, thus, symptoms of RA.