The emerging role of oxidative stress in inflammatory bowel disease

P. De Muro; Li Zhang; Shuxuan Li; Zihan Zhao; Tao Jin

doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1390351

Home SearchPaper Details

The emerging role of oxidative stress in inflammatory bowel disease

P. De Muro, Li Zhang, Shuxuan Li, Zihan Zhao, Tao Jin, Fei Mao, Zong‐Wan Mao

Frontiers Media (2024) • Volume 15, Pages 1390351-1390351

SynthesisNarrativeReviewPDF AvailableGrade Eligible

Overall Assessment

Limited Methodological Quality

Assessment created by PaperScorers Medical AI v0.1.0 on Dec 15, 2025

D

42/100

Key Takeaways

•Narrative review on oxidative stress pathways (ROS/RNS, NF-κB, Nrf2) in IBD.
•Highlights biomarkers MDA, 8‑OHdG, and serum free thiols for activity monitoring.
•Summarises antioxidant candidates (vit C/E, NAC, polyphenols) with mixed clinical evidence.
•No systematic search or quantitative synthesis; tables collate trials and mechanisms.
•Funding and no-COI declared; typical Frontiers peer review noted.

Conclusion

Useful overview of oxidative stress in IBD with practical biomarker and therapy pointers, but lacks systematic methods and quantitative appraisal.

Quick Actions

Read Full Paper

Quality Dimensions

Bias & Integrity

COI handling, outcome switching, selective reporting

C+65

Methods Rigour

Protocol clarity, sampling, controls

F28

External Validity

Generalisability, setting, population

C-55

Transparency & Reproducibility

Data/code/materials availability, preregistration

F20

Significance & Novelty

Contribution vs prior art; context if known

C-58

Statistical Validity

Models, assumptions, multiplicity, CI priority

F22

Integrity & Transparency

Integrity checks

P-hacking risk?

?

None suspected

Signs of selective hypothesis testing or analysis choices that could inflate false positive rates.

Outcome switching?

?

None suspected

Evidence that primary outcomes were changed during or after the study, potentially distorting results.

Conflict of interest?

?

None suspected

Authors have financial or other relationships that could bias research findings.

Data integrity issues?

?

None suspected

Concerns about the accuracy, completeness, or authenticity of the reported data.

Open science signals

Research data

?

Not applicable

Raw data used in the analyses is publicly available or accessible upon request.

Analysis code

?

Not applicable

Code or scripts used to analyze the data are shared for reproducibility.

Study materials

?

Not applicable

Protocols, questionnaires, and other materials are publicly available.

Premise

Primary Research Question

What is the role of oxidative stress in IBD pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy?

Hypothesis is Falsifiable

—Not specified

Narrative synthesis; no testable study hypothesis.

PICO Framework

Population—Not specified

Review article; no enrolled participants.

Intervention—Not specified

Multiple antioxidants discussed; no single protocol.

Comparison—Not specified

No comparator groups.

Outcome—Not specified

No predefined primary outcomes.

Literature Positioning

Literature Review Balanced

Well covered

Cites mechanistic, clinical, and preclinical studies; multiple biomarkers and therapies.

Evidence: Tables 1–4; refs throughout

Research Gap Clearly Stated

Well covered

Calls for further mechanistic work and clinical trials on antioxidant strategies.

Evidence: p. 15 Conclusion

Stated Contribution Clear

Well covered

Aims to summarise mechanisms, diagnostic markers, and antioxidant therapies in IBD.

Evidence: p. 2 end; Introduction

Study Provenance

Peer reviewed venueGrant funding disclosedConflict disclosure provided3 affiliations listed

Authors & Affiliations

Jiangsu University and affiliated hospitals; Southeast University, China (header).

Funding Statement

Supported by NSFC 82250410378 and Jiangsu/Zhenjiang grants (Funding section).

Conflicts of Interest

Authors state no commercial/financial relationships (Conflict of interest).

Peer Review

✓Frontiers article lists Editor and multiple reviewers.

Evidence: p. 1 header

Methodological Assessment

All design modules are marked as not applicable. Use the accordion below to review their details.

Modules without applicable checklist items (10)

These designs were fully marked as not applicable but remain available for reference.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated condition that affects the digestive system and includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Although the exact etiology of IBD remains uncertain, dysfunctional immunoregulation of the gut is believed to be the main culprit. Amongst the immunoregulatory factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), components of the oxidative stress event, are produced at abnormally high levels in IBD. Their destructive effects may contribute to the disease’s initiation and propagation, as they damage the gut lining and activate inflammatory signaling pathways, further exacerbating the inflammation. Oxidative stress markers, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and serum-free thiols (R-SH), can be measured in the blood and stool of patients with IBD. These markers are elevated in patients with IBD, and their levels correlate with the severity of the disease. Thus, oxidative stress markers can be used not only in IBD diagnosis but also in monitoring the response to treatment. It can also be targeted in IBD treatment through the use of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine. In this review, we summarize the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of IBD, its diagnostic targets, and the potential application of antioxidant therapies to manage and treat IBD.

Quick Actions

Read Full Paper

Study Overview

Study Design

Narrative Review

Primary classification used to evaluate this research.

Population

Narrative review of IBD (UC/CD) patients and preclinical models focusing on oxidative stress.

Brief summary of who or what was studied.

Pre-registration

Not registered

Indicates whether the protocol or trial was registered before data collection.

Reviewer Notes

Classified as a narrative review; no defined search/selection or quantitative synthesis; no primary data.

Publication Details

DOI

10.3389/fendo.2024.1390351

Published

July 15, 2024

Citations

120 citations

FWCI

131.30

External Resources

DOI Link OpenAlex

Disclaimer: This assessment is generated by AI and should not be the sole basis for clinical or research decisions. Always review the original paper and consult with domain experts.