New Perspective in Dietary Supplementation: Bovine Colostrum and Noni Juice Synergic Protective Effects on Intestinal Epithelium and Microbiota

The gastrointestinal tract takes part of a complex network, which includes the Central Nervous System and the intestinal microbiota, known as Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis playing a central role in the whole body homeostatic control. The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis is part of the fundamental Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immune homeostatic network. The intestinal homeostasis is therefore based on a delicate balance, called physiological inflammation, established between gut microbiota and the intestinal immune system. A large number of pro-inflammatory triggers, especially an unhealthy diet, could affect the delicate homeostatic balance between epithelium barrier function, microbiota and immune response. A correct dietary supplementation may represent an important approach in order to reduce inflammatory triggers effects on intestinal homeostasis. Alimentary supplements containing Bovine Colostrum and Noni Juice show the ability to enhance cellular turnover and cell migration at intestinal epithelium level exerting a well-documented protective activity. Bovine colostrum-derived lactoferrin and polysaccharidic fraction contained in both colostrum and Noni juice exerts a key action for intestinal homeostasis maintenance modulating both immune response and enterocytes proliferation, fundamental mechanisms for both early developmental and continuous self-renewal intestinal processes; the stimulation of these cellular pathways is the key concept to understand the role of bovine colostrum and Noni juice in a dietary supplement formulation. Enterocytes internalize bovine lactoferrin by a specific carrier. Lactoferrin activates ERK1/2-mediated cellular pathways involved in proliferation, migration, and cell differentiation processes. Polysaccharide-rich fractions of colostrum and Noni juice are able to modulate cellular response mediated by Toll-like R; well-grounded literature data show how plant-derived polysaccharides are immunomodulatory agents and as this control action is mediated by Toll-like Receptors, through a signal cascade involving PI3K/Akt/MAPKs and leading to nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Enhanced IL-8-expression mediated by Toll-like receptors and NF-κB generates an autocrine loop which regulates the mechanisms of re-epithelialization that follows a structural alteration of the epithelium induced by an inflammatory trigger. If it is not possible to follow an optimal diet, proper integration based on the use of dietary supplements containing bovine colostrum and Noni juice can be an effective strategy for the prevention of intestinal LGCI states and, consequently, to reduce the chances of developing inflammatory-based chronic systemic diseases.