Walnut and NSAID stomach damage in lab and animal work
What it found
In lab and animal work, walnut intake was linked to a protective enzyme called HO-1 that helped limit gut damage from NSAID drugs.
The evidence comes from molecular studies and an animal model, not from people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Walnut and HO-1
In lab and animal work, walnut intake induced HO-1. This happened through Nrf-2 and the specific inactivation of Keap-1.
Animal gut damage model
In an animal model of indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal damage, significant HO-1 induction helped rescue the gut from damage.
Other findings
HO-1 and stomach defence
The authors say HO-1 induction was critical for the stomach to defend itself against irritants including Helicobacter pylori, stress, alcohol, NSAIDs, aspirin and toxic bile acids.
Walnut extracts and protection
The review also describes general actions of walnut extracts or dietary walnut related to cell protection.
What the authors conclude
“dietary walnut intake can be reliable way to rescue from NSAIDs-induced gastrointestinal damages via the induction of HO-1 transcribed with Nrf-2 through specific inactivation of Keap-1”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that dietary walnut intake can be a reliable way to rescue from NSAID-induced gastrointestinal damages.
- They say this works via the induction of HO-1 transcribed with Nrf-2 through specific inactivation of Keap-1.
How it was done
The authors had earlier found that HO-1 induction was important for the stomach to defend itself against irritants such as Helicobacter pylori, stress, alcohol, NSAIDs, aspirin and toxic bile acids. They wanted to add evidence that eating walnut could be a reliable way to protect against NSAID-induced gut damage.
They reviewed molecular work and a translational animal model of indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal damage. They looked at how walnut intake or walnut extracts affected HO-1, Nrf-2 and Keap-1.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These findings come from molecular studies and an animal model, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The animal model used indomethacin, so the results may not apply to other NSAIDs or to humans.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, South Korea; Gachon University, South Korea; CHA University Bundang Medical Center, South Korea
The paper
- Title
- Dietary walnut as food factor to rescue from NSAID-induced gastrointestinal mucosal damages
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- An JM, Kim EH, Lee H, Lee HJ, Hahm KB (2020). Dietary walnut as food factor to rescue from NSAID-induced gastrointestinal mucosal damages. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2020.108466PubMed 32590067DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error