New research has found that a natural chemical may alleviate symptoms of ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to findings published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
During a recent trial, rats were genetically altered to show signs of the digestive disease, and then injected with prostaglandin D2, the newly discovered compound.
The researchers discovered that the higher chemical level reversed some of the damage associated with ulcerative colitis. Also, the results of the study showed that prostaglandin D2 elongated stages of remission.
Because of the positive results found during the animal trial, the team concluded that these findings may contribute to developing drugs and treatments for humans.
John Wallace, co-author of the trial, stated “the levels of prostaglandin D2 were only elevated in those patients in long-term remission, and that suggests it is a key factor in preventing new episodes of ulcerative colitis.” He added that “it is entirely possible our findings could extend to Crohns disease, [which is another form of irritable bowel syndrome], as well.”
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, an estimated 82,000 people in the United States were hospitalized for ulcerative colitis in 2008.