A new pill that promises to banish the bloating caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by "soaking up rotten egg gas" is being trialled in Manchester.
Two-in-ten people in the UK are thought to suffer with IBS, a condition that affects the digestive system. While the exact cause is still unknown, symptoms include stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and constipation, and can be debilitating for sufferers.
Now, a new pill is being trialled which hopes to reduce, and even get rid of bloating, flatulence and diarrhea by soaking up "rotten egg gas".
It's thought that hydrogen sulphide is one of the underlying factors in causing IBS, as bacteria in the wrong part of the gut causes the stomach to pump out gas, causing bloating and other uncomfortable symptoms.
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IBS sufferers tend to have different bugs in their gut than those of their healthy counterparts, and this new pill hopes to redress the balance.
The tablet, Blautix, contains Blautia hydrogenotrophica which is a bacterium that takes hydrogen from the intestines to stay alive.
Scientists behind the new drug presented it at the Digestive Disease Week conference held in Washington, where they claimed that 82 per cent of patients who took the medication found their symptoms had improved.
Now, the drug is being trialled at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, along with other centres in the US and Europe, where 500 IBS patients will be given the drug.
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The participants will take the capsules for a three month period, in which they'll give blood, urine and stool samples so scientists can analyse if their symptoms have improved.
According to Dr Jason Dunn, a consultant gastroenterologist, at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, the study is interested in the gut microbiota, bugs found in the gut.
"Recent research suggests patients with IBS do have altered gut microbiota compared to people with healthy digestion," he told The Sun.
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"Studies in those with IBS have shown proportions of specific bacterial groups are altered. Biodiversity is also reduced.
"So there is great interest in treatments like this to modulate the microbiota, though the current evidence that these are effective in improving symptoms remains limited."
If the drug proves successful, this could be a huge step forward for millions of people who suffer with the condition.
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