A mixture of bacteria developed in part by University
of Alberta researchers has been proven highly effective
in treating people suffering from ulcerative colitis.
The findings, published in the July, 2005 issue of American
Journal of Gastroenterology showed that the majority of
patients taking a probiotic mixture of 8 bacteria (VSL#3)
for 6 weeks improved their ulcerative colitis. Probiotics
are preparations of living microbial cells that, when
ingested, are thought to positively influence the composition
of microbes in the gut and improve the health of the intestine.
While "bad" bacteria have been flagged as potential culprits
in the cause of inflammatory diseases of the bowel, in
this case, the ingestion of supplemental "good" bacteria
(probiotics) to the intestine proved beneficial in treating
ulcerative colitis, said Dr. Richard Fedorak, a professor
of gastroenterology at the University of Alberta. The
joint study included researchers from the University of
Bologna in Italy and the University of North Carolina.
In this open label clinical trial, 86 per cent of those
treated with probiotic bacteria mixture VSL#3 experienced
relief of their mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. The
mixture of eight lactic acid bacterial species is believed
to be effective by mechanisms that include (1) reducing
the number of "bad" bacteria, (2) reducing the amount
of inflammation (3) increasing the mucus layer in the
gut, and (4) increasing the amount of anti-inflammatory
molecules in the intestine.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that
affects the large intestine (colon) and causes acute bloody
diarrhea, sever stomach pain, urgency, anemia and fatigue.
In its most severe form, ulcerative colitis that does
not respond to medical treatment will require surgical
removal of the colon.
The VSL#3 was administered over a six-week period to
30 patients who ranged in age from 18 to 65. Remission
of the colitis was achieved in 63 per cent of the patients,
while another 23 per cent responded with improvement in
their symptoms and with healing of the colon's lining.
There were no adverse effects to the medication.
The VSL#3 can be considered an important potential treatment
for those patients who don't respond to conventional therapy
such as mesalamine or 5ASA, Dr. Fedorak said.
