Insulin Shows Promise in Treating Chronic Bowel Inflammation

Inflammation involved in chronic bowel inflammation condition may now be treated with insulin, says a new study. The findings of this study are published in the journal of Crohn’s and Colitis.

The study, conducted on mice, showed that //chronic bowel inflammation could be treated effectively by injecting insulin into the rectum.

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‘Treatment with insulin led to a significant 50 percent drop in the amount of inflammation in the laboratory experiment. ’

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Insulin works because it activates a gene inside the bowel cells, which has an antioxidant effect and thus may be able to protect the bowel cells from inflammation.

"Existing treatments attack the bowel’s immune system, dampening it; instead our method strengthens the bowel cells’ own defense. It appears to work equally well, and it can probably be used in combination with existing treatments," said Jorgen Olsen, Professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

For the study, the team examined the effect of the treatment in a series of tests on mice with chronic colitis of the type Colitis Ulcerosa.

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The cause of these bowel disorders is unknown, but they cause patients great discomfort and can involve bloody diarrhea, anemia, stomach ache, and weight loss.

The researchers have studied the effect of the insulin treatment in various ways.

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The team found that treatment with insulin led to a 50 percent drop in the amount of inflammation, compared to the saltwater control treatment.

Further, the mice also lost 15-20 percent less weight than the control group, and importantly, they gained weight 50 percent faster, following the treatment.

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Based on the positive results, the researchers will now test the treatment in clinical trials on humans.

Source-IANS