From the impact of microbiota to the efficacy of phytotherapy: researching novel therapeutic approaches for treating visceral hypersensitivity in colon organoid-based models

The present thesis discusses visceral hypersensitivity, a key feature of gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The work highlights the involvement of various mechanisms, such as microbiota alterations and excessive immune responses, with the colon epithelium emerging as a promising therapeutic target. An in vitro model using murine colon organoids and DRG neurons was developed to study the effects of dysbiosis and inflammation on epithelial-neuronal signalling. Here-proposed findings indicated that dysbiosis impairs epithelial growth and increases neuronal excitability, suggesting a dysfunctional intestinal epithelium's role in visceral hypersensitivity. The efficacy of moringin, a natural compound, was also tested, showing potential for new therapeutic approaches to visceral pain, particularly through the exploration of natural products.