Bioaccessibility of Phyllanthus emblica L . extract and its potential as a functional food for protecting against inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND: Phyllanthus emblica L. is a medicinal and edible plant renowned for its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, the digestive stability, bioaccessibility, and intestinal protective effects of its polyphenolic components remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate systematically the in vitro digestion behavior, antioxidant capacity, and anti-colitis potential of P. emblica extract (PE). RESULTS: The bioaccessibility of total phenolics in PE was 92.03%, indicating high digestive stability, whereas the bioaccessibility of flavonoids was 42.69%, indicating partial degradation during digestion. Liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) identified 3-O-galloylmucic acid and gallic acid as the dominant and stable phenolics throughout all digestive phases. Phyllanthus emblica L. retained strong antioxidant capacity across the oral, gastric, and intestinal stages. In a zebrafish model of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced inflammatory bowel disease, PE significantly ameliorated intestinal injury, reduced gut lumen expansion, inhibited neutrophil recruitment, and restored goblet cell numbers. Gene expression analysis showed a dose-dependent downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tnf-α, il-1β, il-6) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Phyllanthus emblica L. extract exhibited high digestive stability and polyphenol bioaccessibility while maintaining antioxidant activity. Its pronounced anti-inflammatory and mucosal-protective effects in vivo provided evidence supporting the potential application of P. emblica as a functional food ingredient for intestinal health and inflammatory bowel disease prevention. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.