Colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown aetiology resulting from a complex interaction of environmental, genetic, and microbial factors leading to a dysregulated immune response. The disease, which has varying extents and severity, is characterized by abdominal pain, bloody, purulent diarrhoea, and sometimes frequent seizures that are life-threatening, necessitating early detection and treatment.

Although the exact pathophysiology of colitis is still not yet fully elucidated, it has been generally believed that mass generation of reactive oxygen species, reduced antioxidant capacity, excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines, and apoptotic activity are among the main causes contributing to its progression. Even with a great deal of attention to this disease during the past years, its pharmacological approaches are still unsatisfactory, with no specific treatment. Current therapies are not completely successful. Dissatisfactory adverse effects and poor adherence usually decrease patient compliance. Moreover, the associated high risk of developing colorectal cancer urges prompt treatment.

This Research Topic welcomes submissions of high-quality original research and review articles focusing on, but not limited to:

• Roles and molecular mechanisms of oxidative, inflammatory, apoptotic, and autophagy signalling pathways in colitis development, treatment, and prognosis.
• Novel mechanisms or signalling pathways underlying well-identified products or compounds for the prevention and treatment of colitis (in vitro and in vivo).
• Investigation of new therapeutic compounds for colitis therapy.

Please note, any manuscripts reporting plant extracts and traditional Chinese medicine will not be accepted and should be directed to the Ethnopharmacology section of our journal. Any manuscripts reporting network pharmacology data must include experimental validation of the proposed mechanisms.

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Frontiers in Pharmacology

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