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New insights into the role of metal(loid)s in the development of ulcerative colitis: a systematic review

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Abstract

The relationship between heavy metals and ulcerative colitis (UC) was investigated in several studies, but their results were not consistent. Therefore, in this systematic review study, the positive and negative effects of metal(loid)s (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, Pb, Ni, and As) on UC disease were investigated. In this systematic search, 13 original articles from 1993 to 2021 were identified in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and the Web of Science databases. In included studies, the concentrations of heavy metals and essential elements were measured in the blood, serum, intestinal biopsies, and hair samples of the patients. Some studies have also examined the heavy metal concentration in UC patients’ diet and their drinking water. In the serum samples, Pb (220 ± 108 mg/L) and Cu (401.5 ± 104 µg/L) had the maximum concentrations among the other elements, as well as Zn and Fe had the highest levels in hair and intestinal tissue samples, respectively. In light of the selected articles, there is a possibility of a preventive role for Se and Zn in UC development. Moreover, exposure to Fe can exacerbate the symptoms of the disease. In conclusion, this review reveals that toxic metals, as ubiquitous environmental pollutants, can contribute to the exacerbation of inflammatory intestinal symptoms, and consumption of essential elements can play a vital role in the control of UC, and it is important to pay attention to them in health decisions.

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Abbreviations

UC:

Ulcerative colitis

IBD:

Inflammatory bowel diseases

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

IARC:

International Agency for Research on Cancer

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

    Farideh Bagherzadeh

  2. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

    Fazel Mohammadi-Moghadam

Authors
  1. Farideh Bagherzadeh
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  2. Fazel Mohammadi-Moghadam
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Contributions

F.B: methodology, writing—original draft, and investigation. F. M.-M.: conceptualization, writing—review and editing, and supervision.

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Correspondence to Fazel Mohammadi-Moghadam.

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Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Highlights

• The effect of toxic heavy metals on the UC development requires more detailed studies.

• The insufficient Zn content can develop the UC disease.

• Abandoned exposure to Fe in UC patients can exacerbate the symptoms of UC.

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Bagherzadeh, F., Mohammadi-Moghadam, F. New insights into the role of metal(loid)s in the development of ulcerative colitis: a systematic review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 66486–66493 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27167-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27167-y

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