Let’s talk: What is IBD and why finding new treatment for it in algae

A chronic and life-impairing condition, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects more than 6.8 million people worldwide. IBD exists in different forms, most common being Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Differences aside, all patients experience severe pain in their bowel. This comes from the inflammation that IBD causes in the digestive organs and the resulting bowel injury.

This diversity also makes it harder to find treatments. There is no cure for IBD yet and the available treatments do not work on everyone. This urges the development of novel solutions, and these could come from algae.

Both, micro- and macroalgae produce a great number of compounds that help them cope with their changing and sometimes challenging environment. These compounds can also help us cope with diseases as many algae compounds have health-beneficial properties. For instance, some compounds have anti-inflammatory activity and could heal the inflammation caused by IBD.

You want to learn more about the health potential of algae? Or the algae-based solutions to prevent and treat IBD? Then listen to this 4-minute interview with Dr. Dorit Avni, an expert on inflammation and the immune system.