2024-02-14 23:00:00
news Around 10% of the world’s population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The disease causes abdominal pain that is sometimes difficult to bear while treatments are often ineffective. Today, a study led by Belgian researchers offers new perspectives for patients with IBS: ebastine, a drug once morest allergies (hay fever), might reduce painful symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients.
See also the article: Irritable colon (intestine): causes, symptoms, treatment
A treatment for hay fever more effective than placebo
The study, published in the journal Gut, was carried out by researchers from UZ Leuven in collaboration with seven other Belgian and Dutch hospitals. 202 patients with irritable bowel syndrome were treated for twelve weeks, either with a placebo or with 20 mg of ebastine, an antihistamine used to treat hay fever. Some patients who received ebastine had significantly fewer symptoms following six to eight weeks of treatment.
For Prof. Dr. Guy Boeckxstaens, gastroenterologist at UZ Leuven and principal investigator of the study, these results offer a glimmer of hope to patients: “Firstly, there is an explanation for their complaints, and secondly, there is now the prospect of new, more effective medications without serious side effects to improve their symptoms.”
See also the article: Is the low FODMAP diet effective once morest irritable bowel syndrome?
Hope for treatment and better understanding of irritable bowel syndrome
Abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the functioning of the digestive system with poorly understood causes. To date, there is no formal and universal explanation that allows us to understand the mechanisms of the disease. However, the results of this new study confirm research already carried out previously by Professor Guy Boeckxstaens and his team.
In 2021, researchers discovered that colon syndrome was due to an immune reaction of the intestine once morest certain nutrients. In a healthy gut, the immune system does not react to food. In the case of irritable bowel, mast cells, a type of inflammatory cell in the intestinal wall, are activated by certain nutrients and release a chemical substance: histamine. This histamine then causes painful gastric symptoms. This mechanism is similar to the pathological mechanism causing hay fever.
See also the article: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): how to treat yourself?
How does the treatment work?
Professor Boeckxstaens’ team therefore checked whether, by blocking histamine using an antihistamine such as ebastine, it was possible to treat patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Result: the allergy medication has proven its effectiveness.
A pilot study carried out in 2023 with a higher dose of ebastine showed even better results. To explore this promising discovery further, further research is still underway.
See also the article: Hay fever: which medications are effective?
Sources :
Last updated: February 2024
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