The Potential Efficacy of M13 Analogs Used as Therapeutic Treatment for IBD
Vo, Jennifer
Citations
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition which can affect all parts of the gastrointestinal tract and increase the risk of developing colitis-associated cancers. Researchers have attempted to create therapies that can alleviate their symptoms and potentially reduce the severity of the disease. Currently, anti-TNF-alpha is a biologics therapy proven to be effective within IBD-afflicted patients, yet its drawbacks include its loss of efficacy and high likelihood for side effects. Some researchers have investigated anti-inflammatory natural products as alternative drug candidates to treat IBD. Ginger is a great resource as it exhibits strong anti-inflammatory effects, mainly due to its active components including 6-shogaol. In addition, the in vivo metabolite of 6-shogaol, M13, has demonstrated higher anti-inflammatory properties but is more hydrophilic than 6-shogaol. In this study, we investigated the potential efficacy of M13 analogs to see if they exhibit more favorable properties than M13. After testing the drugs’ in vitro efficiency, we found several more potent drug candidates (effective in reducing cancer cell growth). Further wound-healing tests of these analogs are still ongoing, but for now, we can conclude some of the M13 analogs show promising effects as treatment against IBD and colitis-associated cancer.