This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33868839
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gel 'eases inflammatory bowel problems' | Gel 'eases inflammatory bowel problems' |
| (1 day later) | |
| A gel that "sticks" to affected tissue and delivers medicine gradually over time could help treat some inflammatory bowel problems, researchers say. | A gel that "sticks" to affected tissue and delivers medicine gradually over time could help treat some inflammatory bowel problems, researchers say. |
| Patients with ulcerative colitis often have to rely on medicine given by enema, but this can be uncomfortable, messy and inconvenient. | Patients with ulcerative colitis often have to rely on medicine given by enema, but this can be uncomfortable, messy and inconvenient. |
| Now a US team has developed a hydrogel that attaches to ulcers and slowly releases a drug to help treat them. | Now a US team has developed a hydrogel that attaches to ulcers and slowly releases a drug to help treat them. |
| The early findings are reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine. | The early findings are reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine. |
| Soothing | Soothing |
| Ulcerative colitis is the most common form of inflammatory bowel disease and mainly affects young people. | Ulcerative colitis is the most common form of inflammatory bowel disease and mainly affects young people. |
| It causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the rectum and colon. | It causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the rectum and colon. |
| Symptoms include: | Symptoms include: |
| Medicines taken orally they are often broken down before they reach the affected area. | Medicines taken orally they are often broken down before they reach the affected area. |
| Delivering the drug more directly through an enema - which has to be done regularly - can also be difficult and inconvenient for patients. | Delivering the drug more directly through an enema - which has to be done regularly - can also be difficult and inconvenient for patients. |
| To overcome this problem, US researchers took a gel called ascorbyl palmitate, which is safe and already approved for use in humans. | |
| In tests in mice and on bowel tissue from patients with the disease, the gel was shown to selectively attach to areas of inflammation. | In tests in mice and on bowel tissue from patients with the disease, the gel was shown to selectively attach to areas of inflammation. |
| The gel could also be loaded with a corticosteroid drug used to treat inflammation. | The gel could also be loaded with a corticosteroid drug used to treat inflammation. |
| They designed the drugs to be held in place until the gel was broken down by enzymes present in inflamed tissue. | They designed the drugs to be held in place until the gel was broken down by enzymes present in inflamed tissue. |
| Experiments showed the drug was released at sites of inflammation and, in mice, could be given every other day rather than daily. | Experiments showed the drug was released at sites of inflammation and, in mice, could be given every other day rather than daily. |
| The team also used lower concentrations of the drug in the bloodstream compared with traditional enemas so reducing the exposure - and possible side-effects - in other areas of the body. | The team also used lower concentrations of the drug in the bloodstream compared with traditional enemas so reducing the exposure - and possible side-effects - in other areas of the body. |
| Study leader Dr Jeff Karp, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said the next step was to test a different drug commonly used in the clinic and if that went well, to start trials in humans within a couple of years. | Study leader Dr Jeff Karp, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said the next step was to test a different drug commonly used in the clinic and if that went well, to start trials in humans within a couple of years. |
| "We're hopeful that this technology will allow patients to take an enema once a week rather than every day and without systemic side-effects or the need to retain the enema, as the gel quickly attaches to ulcers, ultimately improving their quality of life," he said. | "We're hopeful that this technology will allow patients to take an enema once a week rather than every day and without systemic side-effects or the need to retain the enema, as the gel quickly attaches to ulcers, ultimately improving their quality of life," he said. |
| Dr Ayesha Akbar, a consultant gastroenterologist specialising in inflammatory bowel diseases and spokeswoman for the British Gastroenterology Society, said it was an interesting and exciting concept. | Dr Ayesha Akbar, a consultant gastroenterologist specialising in inflammatory bowel diseases and spokeswoman for the British Gastroenterology Society, said it was an interesting and exciting concept. |
| "The idea does make complete sense, especially for patients with ulcerative colitis," she said. | "The idea does make complete sense, especially for patients with ulcerative colitis," she said. |