A study published on Apr. 17 in Stem Cell Reports describes how researchers used a human stem cell-derived model of the intestine to identify glycyrrhizin as a potential therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The findings are significant because IBD affects an estimated 4 million people worldwide and is marked by chronic inflammation of the intestinal wall, leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Many patients see limited benefits from current treatments, which mainly involve anti-inflammatory drugs and therapies targeting the immune system.
Researchers led by Yu Takahashi at the University of Tokyo developed a laboratory model that mimics human intestinal tissue using stem cells. They induced an IBD-like state in these cells by exposing them to a key inflammatory protein associated with the disease. After confirming that this protein caused cell death and inflammation similar to what is seen in patients, they screened about 3,500 compounds to find those that could prevent cell death.
Glycyrrhizin, a natural substance found in black licorice previously shown to be effective in cellular and animal models of IBD, was identified as one of the top candidates. The study reports that glycyrrhizin significantly reduced intestinal cell death both in their lab-grown tissue model and in mice with IBD.
The authors say these results highlight how stem cell-derived models can help discover new drugs for diseases like IBD. However, they note that further clinical studies are needed to determine if glycyrrhizin can safely reduce symptoms or improve outcomes for people living with IBD.
