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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tysabri (Natalizumab), a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease in patients with evidence of inflammation who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, conventional Crohn’s disease therapies. So reports MediceNews.net.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder that can affect the whole of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. It leads to a wide variety of symptoms, primarily abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or weight loss. It can also cause serious complications outside the gastrointestinal tract such as skin rashes, arthritis and eye inflammation.

Crohn’s disease patients using the newly approved drug must be enrolled in a special restricted distribution program called the Crohn’s Disease–Tysabri Outreach Unified Commitment to Health (CD TOUCH) Prescribing Program.

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Sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) apparently have more protein receptors for the active compounds in chilli peppers, according to a study to be published June 11 in the journal Gut (PDF). The findings might one day lead to new treatments for IBS.

IBS is a painful, often chronic, condition which causes cramping abdominal pains, bloating, and bowel problems such as constipation or diarrhea. The new work, carried out at Imperial College London, UK, shows that people with IBS have higher than usual levels of nerve fibres expressing the pain receptor TRPV1, responsible for the experience of the burning sensation when one eats chilli peppers. Finding compounds that block this receptor might lead to novel pharmaceuticals for IBS.

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