http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1594580408600066
E. Scarpellini. .E.C. Lauritano. .A. Lupascu. .C. Petruzzellis. .M.L. Novi. .D. Roccarina. .M. Gabrielli. .M. Serricchio. .G. Gasbarrini. .A. Gasbarrini. .
Abstract
Introduction
Short-chain fatty acids affect enterocyte metabolism and differentiation. Butyric acid in particular is already used in ulcerative rectal colitis, pouchitis and antibiotic-induced diarrhoea.
Aims
To assess the efficacy of butyrate in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Patients
Fifty patients with IBS were treated using enteric-coated sodium butyrate tablets at a dosage of 1 g/day for 30 days.
Methods
The patients were divided into two subgroups: constipation-predominant IBS and diarrhoea-predominant IBS. The IBS variant and symptom scores of patients were recorded before and after treatment.
Results
Treatment with butyric acid reduced in normalisation of status in 68% and 71% of patients in the diarrhoea-predominant IBS group vs. 14% and 16% of patients in the constipation-predominant IBS group (respectively for the intent-to-treat and per-protocol analyses) (p < 0.005). The symptoms score for abdominal pain, meteorism and flatulence was significantly improved in patients with the diarrhoea variant compared with those with the constipation variant (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
Oral administration of butyrate may be effective in regulating status and improving gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with the diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
-
Keywords
- Butyric acid;
- Irritable bowel syndrome;
- Diarrhoea