Evidence supporting the use of: Slippery elm bark
For the health condition: Colitis

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Slippery elm bark (Ulmus rubra) has a long history of use in traditional North American herbal medicine, particularly among Native American groups and early settlers, for soothing gastrointestinal complaints, including colitis, gastritis, and diarrhea. The inner bark is rich in mucilage, a gel-like substance that becomes slippery when mixed with water. This mucilage is believed to coat and soothe inflamed or irritated mucous membranes in the digestive tract, which could theoretically benefit individuals with colitis, an inflammatory bowel condition.

Despite its long-standing traditional use, scientific research on slippery elm specifically for colitis is limited. Most available evidence comes from small pilot studies, anecdotal reports, or traditional usage records. There are a few small clinical trials and laboratory studies suggesting that slippery elm may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may improve some symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or mild gastrointestinal discomfort. However, robust, high-quality clinical trials directly examining its effect on ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease are lacking. Therefore, while its soothing properties are well recognized in herbal medicine, its use for colitis is primarily justified by tradition, with only preliminary or indirect scientific support.

Overall, slippery elm bark remains a popular herbal remedy for digestive discomfort, but its efficacy specifically for colitis is not well established in scientific literature.

More about slippery elm bark
More about Colitis

Other ingredients used for Colitis

Akkermansia muciniphila
algal oil
Aloe vera
anthocyanins
apple
astaxanthin
bacillus clausii
bacillus coagulans
bacillus subtilis
barberry
beta caryophyllene
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium breve
Bifidobacterium infantis
Bifidobacterium lactis
Bifidobacterium longum
bilberry
bio ecolian (proprietary)
blueberry
bromelain
butyrate triglyceride
cat's claw
Chinese salvia root
chlorella
Coptis chinensis
cowage seed
turmeric
curcumin
fiber blend (proprietary)
flavonols
garlic bulb
ginger
green tea
hemp oil
immunoglobin G
inulin
isomalto-oligosaccharide
L-glutamine
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus brevis
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus fermentum
Lactobacillus gasseri
Lactobacillus lactis
Lactobacillus paracasei
lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus reuteri
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus salivarius
Lactococcus lactis
Lactoferrin
licorice root
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)
plantain
pomegranate
prebiotic blend (proprietary)
butyric acid
quercetin
resveratrol
Saccharomyces boulardii
slippery elm bark
specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs)
spirulina
streptococcus thermophilus
tributyrin
Triphala
Zinc
xanthium (cockleburs)
blackboard tree
picrorhiza kurroa
Swertia
buckthorn
anemarrhena asphodeloides
Algae
apple cider vinegar
apigenin
anamu
Alchornea
andrographolide
Asteraceae
Acemannan
Amor seco
astragalin
Bifidobacterium
Bifidobacterium adolescentis
Boswellic Acid
bael
Basidiomycota
Boswellia
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Bifidobacterium animalis
black nightshade
bacteria
Bifidobacteria
Bacillus
cactus
Curcuminoid
curcumen
Curcuma
cabbage
Clostridium butyricum
colocynth
diterpenes
Euphorbia
fucoidan
fiber
Frangula
gallic acid
Glycomacropeptides
Guava
Glycyrrhetinic acid
Hedyotis
Helicteres isora
Humic acid
hericium mushroom
Immunoglobulin G
Kefir
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus pentosus
Lactobacillus sakei
Lactobacillus kefiri
Lactococcus rhamnosus
Lactococcus casei
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
Lactobacillus johnsonii
Lactobacillus
L. lactis
Mucilage
Nimbidin
Oligosaccharides
Oxymatrine
Osthole
polysaccharides
Plantago
phlorotannins
Propionibacterium freudenreichii
probiotics
Pediococcus acidilactici
Patrinia
Peptides
rosmarinic acid
Rhus coriaria
reed herb
Slippery Elm
Scabrous Gentian
Triterpenes
Tayuya
Trametes
Varuna