Gut health, particularly a diverse and balanced gut microbiota, plays a significant role in one’s overall well-being, influencing immunity, metabolism, mental health, and disease prevention.
There are recent meta-analyses which confirm associations between higher microbiome diversity and better psychological well-being, while dysbiosis (imbalance in the microbiota) links to conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation.
A poly-herbal nutraceutical composition, which is designed to manage gut dysbiosis, enhance gut microbial diversity, and support metabolic health, developed by two researchers at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, has been granted patent by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The University of Kerala is the patentee.
The development of the nutraceutical, PolyNutriBio (PNBio), was a three-year research project taken up by A. Helen, former Head of the Biochemistry department and Maya G. Pillai, Scientist, who has done extensive research on inflammation. The project was funded by the Department of Health Research, Indian Council of Medical Research.
The gut is the largest immune organ in the body as about 70% of the body’s immune cells are located in the tissues lining the gut. The gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of microbes, does not just aid digestion, they maintain the gut barrier integrity and modulate the immune system.
Chronic inflammatory disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis arise from complex interactions between genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, leading to persistent systemic inflammation and gut dysbiosis.
Gut dysbiosis or an imbalance in gut microbiota composition due to poor diet, overuse of antibiotics, or stress, aggravates the body’s inflammatory state. Though non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and lipid-lowering agents can provide temporary relief, these drugs have their own side effects.
‘A holistic alternative’
“The poly-herbal nutraceutical, PolyNutriBio (PNBio), is a holistic alternative that targets both systemic inflammation and gut dysbiosis. It is a plant-based, fibre-rich food supplement that we have formulated, a combination of selected anti-inflammatory agents, which will convert the gut from a pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory state,” said Dr. Helen, who currently heads the Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.
She said that the pre-clinical studies in lab animals revealed PNBio’s potential in managing acute inflammation, and also showed efficacy in reducing blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and modulation of cytokine signalling molecules.
Metabolomic analysis revealed key bioactive metabolites such as muricholic acid and beta-Dmannopyranose, supporting gut health and systemic inflammation reduction.
Additionally, microbiome profiling indicated an increase in beneficial bacterial species like Akkermansia muciniphila which is reported as a next-generation probiotic and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, highlighting PNBio’s role in restoring gut microbial balance.
“We have also completed the phase 1 90 days’ human trials. The next step would be phase 2 trials in persons with inflammatory diseases to assess the efficacy of the supplement’s anti-inflammatory properties. We hope our research will ultimately reach people,” Dr. Helen said.
The patent marks an important step towards the development of evidence-based nutraceuticals, and highlights the University of Kerala’s contribution to translational and applied health research, she added.