Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine for gastrointestinal complaints, including Inflammatory Bowel Disorders (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Native American tribes and early settlers used the inner bark as a soothing demulcent for the digestive tract. The primary action attributed to Slippery Elm is its high mucilage content, which, when mixed with water, forms a gel-like substance believed to coat and soothe irritated mucous membranes of the gut.

Modern scientific evidence for Slippery Elm’s efficacy in treating IBD is limited and mostly based on small pilot studies, case reports, or extrapolation from its general demulcent properties. Some in vitro studies have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and small clinical trials have suggested that Slippery Elm may improve symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition related but not identical to IBD. A few studies have looked at its use as part of multi-herb formulas in IBD, but isolating its individual contribution is difficult. Overall, while there is a compelling traditional rationale and some weak scientific signals, robust clinical evidence supporting its use in IBD is lacking. More rigorous, large-scale clinical trials are needed to justify its inclusion as a standard therapy for IBD.

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