New treatment in development for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation

Dec 09, 2020

New Delhi, Dec 10 (ANI): As rapid-release, cramp-inducing doses of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC) have previously shown promise in treating constipation, but further development has been hampered by the abdominal pain associated with the sudden release of CDC--in preclinical studies. A team of researchers devised a plan to deliver CDC in a bilayered capsule, finding that this mode of delivery could decrease colon cramping and thus produce a better patient experience. In preclinical studies, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) the team found evidence that this bilayered delivery system has the potential to reduce cramping and provide constipation relief. Findings are published in Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology. The liver produces bile acids to aid in the digestive process, regulating intestinal motility, fluid homeostasis, and humoral activity. Bile acids, such as pro-motility CDC, have been previously studied in patients for their pro-motility effects and recognized to enhance water ingression and bowel motility. The challenge has been how to administer these in ways that minimize potential side effects; to accomplish this, researchers developed a bilayered delivery system.