336ULCERATIVE COLITIS: HISTORICAL PROSPECTIVE PATHOGENESIS AND PHYTOCHEMICAL INSIGHTSUlcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, idiopathic inflammatory condition primarily affecting the colon and rectum, classified under the broader category of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This article explores the evolution of scientific understanding of Ulcerative colitis, beginning with early historical accounts and progressing through developments in diagnostics and pathogenesis theories. The historical section details pivotal moments, such as the first recorded cases, the introduction of endoscopic techniques, and theories about infectious, allergic, and dietary origins. The review then transitions into modern perspectives, including the hygiene hypothesis and the significant role of gut microbiota. The increasing incidence of Ulcerative colitis and IBD globally, particularly in Westernized and urbanized societies, is linked to lifestyle and dietary factors, highlighting the disease’s complex and multifactorial nature. This paper synthesizes historical insights with contemporary research to provide a cohesive view of UC’s etiology and progressionmpharm76@gmail.comResearch1512025 Ulcerative colitis, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, Gut microbiome, Hygiene hypothesisDr. Sethuramani A,Gunamathi G, Vinothini M, Sebatini Sinsi A, Manikandan M,Sanjay MAssistant Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India,Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India,Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India,Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India