Celiac disease is a condition wherein sufferers are intolerant to gluten. As gluten is found in a wide range of food stuffs, this can lead to a very restricted diet. Now the health concerns associated with the intake of gluten for this group of people could be totally reversed by a new pill.
Scientists are reporting that they are working towards the development of a pill which could enable celiacs to take gluten without it damaging their health or wellbeing. There are already pills such as this in existence for those who are lactose intolerant (lactase) pills, and after taking the pills they can then take in dairy products without risking any of the harmful effects. If it comes to fruition, this pill could have a beneficial effect on the millions of people who suffer from celiac disease worldwide.
The pill is thought to use an enzyme which will break down the gluten, thus avoiding the symptoms that flare up when celiacs come into contact with gluten. The study so far was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune problem where the gluten in barley, rye or wheat products causes the digestive tract to become inflamed, causing all kinds of discomfort and health problems for the sufferer. The stomach enzymes already break the gluten down into little pieces called peptides, but it is these peptides that trigger the autoimmune response in millions of patients, and trigger the painful symptoms. The new pill would work by further breaking down the peptides in the stomach, which could mean that the body no longer reacts to them.
Scientists say that the enzyme they are looking to use in the pill is a naturally occurring enzyme, which they are modifying in a laboratory to meet the criteria needed for the treatment.
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