# Aryl hydrocarbon receptor: a potential target for natural products in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease **Authors:** Lv Ran, Chunrun Li, Peng Wang, Junmei Tang, Zhengwu Qu, Yanwei Hao, Yi Zhang PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1720700 · Frontiers in Immunology · 2026-02-04 ## TL;DR This review explores how natural products targeting the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) could offer new treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease. ## Contribution The paper systematically reviews the role of AHR in IBD and evaluates natural products as potential AHR-targeted therapies. ## Key findings - AHR is crucial for maintaining intestinal barrier function and immune homeostasis. - Natural products can act as AHR ligands to modulate immunity and repair the intestinal barrier. - Targeting AHR with natural products offers a novel therapeutic strategy for IBD. ## Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease driven by genetic, immune, and environmental factors, and its incidence continues to increase worldwide. The existing therapies often face the limitations of insufficient response, obvious side effects, and high medical burden, so it is urgent to develop safe and effective intervention strategies based on new targets. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a crucial environmental sensor, plays an essential role in preserving intestinal barrier function, modulating immune homeostasis, and facilitating microbiota-host interactions through the integration of ligand-mediated signals. Notably, natural products constitute a major source of AHR ligands and exhibit multiple therapeutic potentials to repair the intestinal barrier, modulate immunity, and remodel the microbiota through targeted activation of AHR. This provides a unique theoretical perspective for developing innovative therapeutic strategies. In this review, we systematically explore the fundamental relationship between AHR and IBD, and introduce the receptor's biological characteristics and regulatory mechanisms in detail. In addition, this article further emphasizes the pharmacological properties and molecular mechanisms of various natural products that target AHR as prospective treatments and evaluates their potential for clinical applications. ## Linked entities - **Proteins:** AHR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) - **Diseases:** inflammatory bowel disease (MONDO:0005265), IBD (MONDO:0005265) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** Tlr4 (toll-like receptor 4) [NCBI Gene 21898] {aka Lps, Ly87, Ran/M1, Rasl2-8}, CYP1A1 (cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1) [NCBI Gene 1543] {aka AHH, CP11, CYP1, CYPIA1, P1-450, P450-C}, Stat1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1) [NCBI Gene 20846] {aka 2010005J02Rik}, H2 (histocompatibility-2, MHC) [NCBI Gene 111364] {aka H-2, MHC-II}, Ptges3 (prostaglandin E synthase 3) [NCBI Gene 56351] {aka 5730442A20Rik, Ptges, Tebp, cPGES, p23, sid3177}, Tiparp (TCDD-inducible poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase) [NCBI Gene 99929] {aka ARTD14, PARP7}, AHR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) [NCBI Gene 196] {aka FVH3, RP85, bHLHe76}, Tas1r1 (taste receptor, type 1, member 1) [NCBI Gene 110326] {aka Gpr70, T1r1, TR1}, Hmox1 (heme oxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 15368] {aka D8Wsu38e, HO-1, HO1, Hemox, Hmox, Hsp32}, Becn1 (beclin 1, autophagy related) [NCBI Gene 56208] {aka Atg6}, Cul4b (cullin 4B) [NCBI Gene 72584] {aka 2700050M05Rik, CUL-4B, mKIAA0695}, Ocln (occludin) [NCBI Gene 18260] {aka Ocl}, IL22 (interleukin 22) [NCBI Gene 50616] {aka IL-21, IL-22, IL-D110, IL-TIF, ILTIF, TIFIL-23}, Nfe2l2 (nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2) [NCBI Gene 18024] {aka Nrf2}, Nfkb1 (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells 1, p105) [NCBI Gene 18033] {aka NF-KB1, NF-kappaB, NF-kappaB1, p105, p50, p50/p105}, Nqo1 (NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1) [NCBI Gene 18104] {aka Dia4, Dtd, Nmo-1, Nmo1, Nmor1, Ox-1}, Il17a (interleukin 17A) [NCBI Gene 16171] {aka Ctla-8, Ctla8, IL-17, IL-17A, Il17}, Cldn3 (claudin 3) [NCBI Gene 12739] {aka Cpetr2, mRVP1}, Cd86 (CD86 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12524] {aka B7, B7-2, B7.2, B70, CLS1, Cd28l2}, Pparg (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) [NCBI Gene 19016] {aka Nr1c3, PPAR-gamma, PPAR-gamma2, PPARgamma, PPARgamma2}, Il1b (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 16176] {aka IL-1beta, Il-1b}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, Ptprn (protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type N) [NCBI Gene 19275] {aka IA-2, PTP IA-2, R-PTP-N, mIA-A, mKIAA4064}, Il27 (interleukin 27) [NCBI Gene 246779] {aka IL-27, IL-27-A, IL-27p28, IL27-A, Il30, p28}, Egfr (epidermal growth factor receptor) [NCBI Gene 13649] {aka 9030024J15Rik, Erbb, Errb1, Errp, Wa5, wa-2}, Cyp1a2 (cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily a, polypeptide 2) [NCBI Gene 13077] {aka CP12, CYPIA2, P450-3}, Tjp1 (tight junction protein 1) [NCBI Gene 21872] {aka ZO1}, Sirt1 (sirtuin 1) [NCBI Gene 93759] {aka SIR2L1, Sir2, Sir2a, Sir2alpha}, Chil3 (chitinase-like 3) [NCBI Gene 12655] {aka Chi3l3, ECF-L, Ym1}, Mylk3 (myosin light chain kinase 3) [NCBI Gene 213435] {aka D830007F02Rik, MLCK}, Slc35b3 (solute carrier family 35, member B3) [NCBI Gene 108652] {aka 4921526O06Rik, CGI-19, PABST2, PAPST2}, Cldn2 (claudin 2) [NCBI Gene 12738], NCR [NCBI Gene 4827], Cd4 (CD4 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12504] {aka L3T4, Ly-4}, Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 16193] {aka Il-6}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, Irf4 (interferon regulatory factor 4) [NCBI Gene 16364] {aka IRF-4, LSIRF, NF-EM5, Spip}, Cd80 (CD80 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12519] {aka B71, Cd28l, Ly-53, Ly53, MIC17, TSA1}, Mir429 (microRNA 429) [NCBI Gene 723865] {aka Mirn429, mir-429, mmu-mir-429}, Il21 (interleukin 21) [NCBI Gene 60505] {aka IL-21}, Ifng (interferon gamma) [NCBI Gene 15978] {aka IFN-g, If2f, Ifg}, IDO1 (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 3620] {aka IDO, IDO-1, INDO}, Klf6 (Kruppel-like transcription factor 6) [NCBI Gene 23849] {aka BCD1, CPBP, Copeb, FM2, FM6, Ierepo1}, Rnf43 (ring finger protein 43) [NCBI Gene 207742] {aka 4732452J19Rik}, Ido2 (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 2) [NCBI Gene 209176] {aka C230043N17Rik, Ido-2, Indol1}, Gpr15 (G protein-coupled receptor 15) [NCBI Gene 71223] {aka 4933439K08Rik}, Il22 (interleukin 22) [NCBI Gene 50929] {aka IL-22, IL-22a, ILTIFa, If2b1, Iltif}, Myh9 (myosin, heavy polypeptide 9, non-muscle) [NCBI Gene 17886] {aka Fltn, Myhn-1, Myhn1, NMHC II-A, NMHCIIA, NMMHC-A}, Muc2 (mucin 2) [NCBI Gene 17831] {aka 2010015E03Rik, MCM, wnn}, Nr0b2 (nuclear receptor subfamily 0, group B, member 2) [NCBI Gene 23957] {aka SHP, SHP-1, Shp1}, Arnt (aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator) [NCBI Gene 11863] {aka D3Ertd557e, Drnt, ESTM42, Hif1b, bHLHe2, mKIAA4051}, Arg1 (arginase, liver) [NCBI Gene 11846] {aka AI, Arg-1, PGIF}, Hif1a (hypoxia inducible factor 1, alpha subunit) [NCBI Gene 15251] {aka HIF-1-alpha, HIF1-alpha, HIF1alpha, MOP1, bHLHe78}, Relb (Relb proto-oncogene, NFKB subunit) [NCBI Gene 19698] {aka shep}, Tdo2 (tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase) [NCBI Gene 56720] {aka TDO, TO, chky}, Nlrp3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 216799] {aka AGTAVPRL, AII/AVP, Cias1, FCAS, FCU, MWS}, Il4 (interleukin 4) [NCBI Gene 16189] {aka BSF-1, Il-4}, Dnmt1 (DNA methyltransferase 1) [NCBI Gene 13433] {aka Cxxc9, Dnmt, Dnmt1o, MCMT, MTase, Met-1}, Il10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 16153] {aka CSIF, If2a, Il-10}, Ikzf2 (IKAROS family zinc finger 2) [NCBI Gene 22779] {aka A730095J18Rik, Helios, Zfpn1a2, Znfn1a2} - **Diseases:** tumor (MESH:D009369), dysbiosis (MESH:D064806), anxiety (MESH:D001007), gut inflammation (MESH:D007249), injury (MESH:D014947), metabolic syndrome (MESH:D024821), glioma (MESH:D005910), metabolic disorders (MESH:D008659), carcinogenesis (MESH:D063646), cardiovascular diseases (MESH:D002318), infection (MESH:D007239), CD (MESH:D003424), colitis (MESH:D003092), cytotoxic (MESH:D064420), ulcer (MESH:D014456), abnormalities in (MESH:D000014), carcinogenic (MESH:D011230), CL (MESH:D002971), colorectal cancer (MESH:D015179), intestinal diseases (MESH:D007410), UC (MESH:D003093), chronic (MESH:D002908), IBS (MESH:D043183), IBD (MESH:D015212), depressive (MESH:D003866) - **Chemicals:** Phloroglucinol (MESH:D010696), Fucoidan (MESH:C007789), Polysaccharides (MESH:D011134), nitrogen (MESH:D009584), vitamin E (MESH:D014810), Quercetin (MESH:D011794), Cardamonin (MESH:C436747), FOS (MESH:C116580), monosaccharide (MESH:D009005), ISO (MESH:C049772), Pelargonidin (MESH:C066957), tryptanthrin (MESH:C046243), Alpha-tocopherol quinone (MESH:C002421), T (MESH:D014316), Sugar (MESH:D000073893), acid (MESH:D000143), ellagitannin (MESH:C013515), aglycones (MESH:C458179), Alkaloids (MESH:D000470), Kyn (MESH:D007737), AMPs (MESH:C014308), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MESH:D011084), I3C (MESH:C016517), Theabrownin (MESH:C569455), tyrosine (MESH:D014443), water (MESH:D014867), indirubin (MESH:C027185), nicotinamide (MESH:D009536), CK (MESH:C112772), I3A (MESH:C486592), Myricetin (MESH:C040015), indoles (MESH:D007211), Terpenoids (MESH:D013729), volatile oils (MESH:D009822), Tetrandrine (MESH:C009438), lignans (MESH:D017705), Magnolol (MESH:C005498), butyrate (MESH:D002087), triterpenoid (MESH:D014315), propionate (MESH:D011422), phenylalanine (MESH:D010649), UroA (MESH:C026423), FICZ (-), wogonin (MESH:C085514), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (MESH:D000072317), dioxin (MESH:D004147), curcumin (MESH:D003474), oligosaccharides (MESH:D009844), retinoic acid (MESH:D014212), polychlorinated biphenyls (MESH:D011078), ILA (MESH:C024139), Coptisine (MESH:C034384), PLGA (MESH:D000077182), tryptamine (MESH:C030820), acetate (MESH:D000085), indole-3-acetic acid (MESH:C030737), epoxides (MESH:D004852), IAld (MESH:C012381), anthocyanin (MESH:D000872), quinone (MESH:C004532) - **Species:** Magnolia officinalis (species) [taxon 85864], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Scutellaria baicalensis (Baikal skullcap, species) [taxon 65409], Astragalus membranaceus (species) [taxon 649199], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Coptis chinensis (species) [taxon 261450], Phellodendron amurense (species) [taxon 68554], Strobilanthes cusia (species) [taxon 222567], Candida albicans (species) [taxon 5476], Bacteroides uniformis (species) [taxon 820], Alpinia katsumadai [taxon 1934112], Ganoderma lucidum (species) [taxon 5315], Nephroia orbiculata (species) [taxon 152358], Isatis tinctoria (woad, species) [taxon 161756], Clostridia (class) [taxon 186801], Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (species) [taxon 818], Panax ginseng (Asiatic ginseng, species) [taxon 4054], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Lactobacillus johnsonii (species) [taxon 33959], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Quercus (genus) [taxon 3511], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Lindera aggregata (species) [taxon 545644], Akkermansia muciniphila (species) [taxon 239935], Botryodiscia tetrandra (species) [taxon 425106], Allium cepa (onion, species) [taxon 4679], Persicaria tinctoria (species) [taxon 96455], Clostridium sporogenes (species) [taxon 1509], Limosilactobacillus reuteri (species) [taxon 1598], Schisandra chinensis (Chinese magnolia-vine, species) [taxon 50507], Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (species) [taxon 1590], Mycoplasmatota (phylum) [taxon 544448], Bacteroidia (class) [taxon 200643], Bifidobacterium bifidum (species) [taxon 1681], Bacillota (clostridial firmicutes, phylum) [taxon 1239], Camellia sinensis (black tea, species) [taxon 4442], Enterobacteriaceae (enterobacteria, family) [taxon 543], PX clade (clade) [taxon 569578], Cichorium intybus (chicory, species) [taxon 13427] - **Mutations:** 6R in T, proline/serine - **Cell lines:** Helper T — Homo sapiens (Human), Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_3174), Caco-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0025), HT-29 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0320) ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913585/full.md ## Figures 3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913585/full.md ## References 237 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913585/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913585