Widely Used Antibiotic Shows Promise in Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease

New Delhi: A commonly used antibiotic for infectious diarrhea may offer a new treatment option for a specific type of inflammatory bowel disease linked to an autoimmune liver condition, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Published in the Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis, the study suggests that vancomycin could effectively manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic and incurable autoimmune liver disease. PSC is closely linked with IBD, with the majority of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) patients eventually developing IBD, while up to 14% of IBD patients are diagnosed with PSC. This combination poses a higher risk of severe complications, including colon surgery, liver or colon cancer, and the potential need for a liver transplant.

In a clinical trial, participants received oral vancomycin treatment for four weeks. Notably, around 80% of patients achieved clinical remission, and all showed significant mucosal healing. Additionally, the antibiotic led to a measurable reduction in inflammatory markers. However, when the treatment was stopped after eight weeks, symptoms returned, indicating the necessity of continued therapy.

Dr. Mohammed Nabil Quraishi, a researcher involved in the study, highlighted vancomycin’s potential as a promising treatment option for patients facing the combined challenges of IBD and PSC, particularly those who have not responded well to conventional IBD therapies.

The study also examined how vancomycin affects bile acids, with findings suggesting that it alters certain bile acid compositions. Researchers are now focusing on these biochemical changes to develop more targeted therapies for IBD in PSC patients.

Despite the encouraging results, experts caution that additional studies are needed to assess the long-term safety and effectiveness of vancomycin in this patient population. However, this research provides a strong foundation for further investigation and could significantly impact treatment options for those affected by both IBD and PSC.