People with diagnosed celiac disease usually have a hard time eating out of fear they get to eat food with gluten. This designed pill, however, may solve that problem.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune problem wherein the intestines become hypersensitive to gluten, a protein that is found in many types of food especially grains. This means it's usually present in pastas, breads, beers, and even condiments such as soy sauce.
If a person with the disease eats gluten food, the protein creates an abnormal immune response that attacks the villi, hair-like structures that line the intestinal walls, preventing the proper absorption of nutrients. Patients with Celiac may develop anemia, lymphoma, and osteoporosis.
At least 1% of the U.S. population have Celiac, although it's believed more than 80% remain undiagnosed. So far, there's no cure to it. The only way to prevent or minimize the symptoms is to avoid eating gluten.
Hoon Sunwoo, a pharmacology professor in University of Alberta, doesn't have Celiac, but he has family members and friends diagnosed with it. This motivated him to study the disease extensively for the last decade until he's able to develop the natural supplement.
Together with a retired professor of the same university Jeong Sim, they created a pill made from the egg yolks of chicken. It works with gliadin, a gluten component that people with Celiac are sensitive to.
When the pill is ingested, it tends to coat gluten, especially gliadin, which is present in the food, as it passes through the digestive tract, particularly the intestine. Once it reaches the intestine, gliadin doesn't create significant damage to the villi.
The researchers want to make it clear this pill won't cure the disease. Rather, it will help improve quality of life by allowing sufferers to have more choices when it comes to food without worrying about discomfort and attacks.
The two researchers are presently collaborating with two companies Vetanda Group and IGY Incorporated, with TEC Edmonton, so they can officially test the effectiveness of the pill. If it turns out successful, it may be available in the market in less than 5 years after the efficacy trial.