Detox of hydrogen sulfide not impaired in UC

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Researchers find no evidence of

defective enzymic detoxication

of sulfide in ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, reports February's Digestive Diseases and Sciences.

Impaired butyrate oxidation,

and raised sulfate-reducing bacteria in the colon indicates that ulcerative

colitis may be induced by hydrogen sulfide toxicity. Dr Singh

and colleagues from England examined enzymatic removal of H2S in erythrocytes

and colonic mucosa from subjects with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Rhodanese and thiol methyltransferase

activities were measured in rectal mucosa and erythrocytes, and plasma thiocyanate was determined.

The investigative team analyzed

4 groups.

Group 1 included patients with

ulcerative colitis, and Group 2 had patients with Crohn's disease.

Group 3 included hospital

controls, which were patients with dyspepsia or irritable bowel syndrome, and

Group 4 consisted of healthy volunteers.

The team noted that rhodanese and thiol methyltransferase activity in rectal biopsies did not

differ between the groups. The

investigators found that control levels of rhodanese

were higher in men than in women. In

erythrocytes, rhodanese activity was significantly

higher in ulcerative colitis patients than in hospital or volunteer controls. The team observed that thiol

methyltransferase activity was higher in erythrocytes

from ulcerative colitis patients and hospital controls vs

volunteer controls.

Dr Singh's team commented,

“We found no evidence of defective enzymic detoxication of sulfide by rhodanese

or thiol methyltransferase

in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.”

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Son Ken (32) UC 91 - PSC 99 Listed 7/21 @ Baylor Dallas