Irritable bowel syndrome is classified as a
functional gastrointestinal disorder with the primary symptom of
abdominal pain in conjunction with bloating and bowel movement disorder. It affects up to 15% of the world's population. Among its subtypes, the most common is diarrhoea predominant. However, the current treatment options for diarrhoea-predominant
irritable bowel syndrome have had not very promising results; most, such as
antispasmodics, only provide partial symptomatic relief. Treatment with
antidepressants and
alosetron (a 5HT3 antagonist) has shown the most promise to date. The latest
drug to be approved for the treatment of
irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhoea is
rifaximin, which was approved in May 2015. It is a minimally absorbed
antibiotic that is used to change the gut microbiota. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is one of the causes suggested for
irritable bowel syndrome, particularly for the diarrhoea-predominant type. There are various methods for detecting bacterial overgrowth, the simplest of which is breath tests.
Rifaximin has been shown to be of benefit to these patients.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to discuss the potential mechanism of action of
rifaximin, a minimally absorbed
antibiotic. In addition, we evaluate the various clinical trials undertaken to study the efficacy and safety profile of
rifaximin.