Antioxidative Efficacy of a Pistacia Lentiscus Supplement and Its Effect on the Plasma Amino Acid Profile in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Oxidative stress is present in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and natural supplements with antioxidant properties have been investigated as a non-pharmacological approach. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of a natural (PL) supplement on oxidative stress biomarkers and to characterise the plasma-free amino acid (AA) profiles of patients with active IBD (Crohn's disease (CD) = 40, ulcerative colitis (UC) = 20). The activity was determined according to 5 ≤ Harvey Bradshaw Index ≤ 16 or 2 ≤ Partial Mayo Score ≤ 6. This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. IBD patients ( = 60) were randomly allocated to PL (2.8 g/day) or to placebo for 3 months being under no treatment ( = 21) or under stable medical treatment (mesalamine = 24, azathioprine = 14, and corticosteroids = 23) that was either single medication ( = 22) or combined medication ( = 17). Plasma oxidised, low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), total serum oxidisability, and serum uric acid were evaluated at baseline and follow-up. OxLDL/LDL and oxLDL/High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) ratios were calculated. The plasma-free AA profile was determined by applying a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. oxLDL ( = 0.031), oxLDL/HDL ( = 0.020), and oxLDL/LDL ( = 0.005) decreased significantly in the intervention group. The mean change differed significantly in CD between groups for oxLDL/LDL ( = 0.01), and, in the total sample, both oxLDL/LDL ( = 0.015) and oxLDL/HDL ( = 0.044) differed significantly. Several changes were reported in AA levels. PL ameliorated a decrease in plasma-free AAs seen in patients with UC taking placebo. In conclusion, this intervention resulted in favourable changes in oxidative stress biomarkers in active IBD.