Science
Ginger Derived Nanoparticles May Treat Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Study Shows
An Atlanta based research team shows Ginger Derived Nanoparticles may effectively treat IBD; namely Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
Atlanta, GA, US- A research team based at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center are testing a new medicinal therapy for treating patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), namely Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Ginger Derived Nanoparticles (GDNP). This new avenue has shown considerable clinical promise in effectively suppressing the enigmatic, pernicious, poorly understood digestive diseases, and their hallmark inflammation.
What is Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis?
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are similar forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD. IBD is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that affects varying portions of the digestive tract.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease symptoms include bloody ulceration formation in the ileum, colon, rectum or anus. IBD patients moreover suffer from frequent bloody diarrhea, anemia, nausea, iron deficiency, malnutrition, and intense pain in the abdominal region.
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, although both forms of IBD, are distinct and separate diagnoses. Crohn’s Disease may affect any portion of a patient’s digestive tract. Ulcerative Colitis exclusively presents in the lower intestines.
Common Current Treatment for Crohn’s & Colitis
With a limited understanding of these conditions, current treatment options include immunosuppressive medications, and occasionally surgery to manage so-called IBD flare-ups.
First line treatments such as oral and IV anti-inflammatory steroids like Prednisone are widely prescribed following initial diagnosis.
Advanced IBD cases however require immunosuppressive medications such as Remicade (infliximab) and Humara (Adalimumab). Remicade and Humana are administered by IV, or patient injection on a structured multi-week or multi-month regiments.
Injected immunosuppressive therapies are often supplemented with daily oral doses of drugs like Imuran (Azathioprine) or 6-MP (Mercaptopurine).
IBD cases proving resistant to frontline treatment may result in surgical intervention, moreover including a resectioning of the effected bowel.
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How Ginger Derived Nanoparticles Therapy Treats Crohn’s & Colitis
WikiCommons: NikNak Nanoparticles (top), liposomes (middle), and Dendrimers (bottom) are some of the nanomaterials being investigated for use in nanomedicine
Dr. Didier Merlin’s research team is associated with the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, is developing what they call Ginger Derived Nanoparticles (GDNP), a form of nanomedicine.
GDNP’s are created by placing a ginger root sample in a high speed centrifuge. The ginger root furthmore undergoes ultrasonic dispersion.
Dr. Merlin believes using ginger root in nanoparticle form will prove more effective treating bowel tissue, compared to ginger as a nutritional supplement.
GDNP Research Trial Outcomes for IBD
Clinical research on mice reveal that GDNP’s are demonstrating highly promising outcomes in reducing advanced colitis, promotion of healing in the intestines themselves, as well as suppressing chronic IBD, and cancer of the bowel.
GDNP’s specifically targeted the effected colonic tissue, generated proteins that helped curb inflammation, and reduced the proteins that cause it.
The ginger root naturally includes the fatty molecule – lipid – phosphoditic acid, a fundamental component of cell membranes which further encourage the healing of tissue.
The ginger root also possesses the compounds 6-shogaol, and 6-gingerol. Each of these compounds have proven highly effective in reducing tissue inflammation, oxidation, and cancer.
Crohn’s, Colitis, GDNP’s & the Future
While additional clinical trails are certainly necessary, including extensive research on humans, however GDNP’s would represent a quantum leap in the struggle against IBD.
There is no current projection for when this treatment may become available to patients; however initial results are strongly suggesting it eventually will become so.
Write to Paul K. DiCostanzo at pdicostanzo@tgnreview.com
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