About 10% of the world’s population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The disease causes abdominal pain and treatments are often ineffective. Belgian researchers have now discovered that ebastine, a drug against allergies (hay fever), can relieve pain and improve the quality of life of patients.
Also read: What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Hay fever medication more effective than placebo
The study, published in the journal Gut, was conducted 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 with a placebo or 20 mg of ebastine, an antihistamine used to treat hay fever. Some patients receiving ebastine showed significantly fewer symptoms after six to eight weeks of treatment.
Prof. Dr. Guy Boeckxstaens, gastroenterologist at UZ Leuven and lead researcher of the study: “For many patients, this is an important bright spot. Firstly, there is an explanation for their complaints, and secondly, there is now the prospect of new and more effective medication without serious side effects to improve their complaints.”
Also read: What is histamine and which complaints indicate an intolerance?
Hope for treatment and a better understanding of irritable bowel syndrome
Abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea – irritable bowel syndrome is an annoying, but still mysterious condition of the digestive system. To date, there is no formal, universal explanation for the disease. The results of this new study confirm previous research by Professor Guy Boeckxstaens and his team.
In 2021, the team discovered that IBS is due to an immune reaction in the gut against certain nutrients. In a healthy intestine, the immune system does not respond to food. In the case of irritable bowel syndrome, mast cells, a type of inflammatory cell in the intestinal wall, are activated in response to certain nutrients and release a chemical called histamine. This histamine then causes painful stomach complaints. This mechanism is similar to that of hay fever. Professor Boeckxstaens therefore tested whether it was possible to treat patients with irritable bowel syndrome by blocking histamine with an antihistamine such as ebastine. Successfully. This was followed by a pilot study in 2023 with a higher dose of ebastine and an even better result.
At UZ Leuven, patients with IBS can already receive ebastine as part of their treatment. The currently ongoing study investigates whether doubling (40 mg) the standard dose of ebastine for IBS patients can provide even better relief against pain.
Also read: Mast cell activation syndrome as a cause of allergy complaints
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Last updated: February 2024
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2024-02-15 23:02:43
#treatment #irritable #bowel #syndrome #allergy #medication #health.be
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