Enterosorbent Gel Shows Efficacy in IBS

TOPLINE:

Silicolgel, a colloidal silicic acid enterosorbent, was generally safe and well tolerated, and it significantly reduced symptom severity in adults with irritable bowel syndrome, with efficacy being observed in both patients with predominant diarrhoea (IBS-D) and those with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M).

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of silicolgel in patients with IBS-D and IBS-M.
• They included 120 adults (mean age, 36.9 years; 66% women) with IBS-D or IBS-M across four regional health centres in Ukraine between March 15, 2023, and August 31, 2023, with a score on the IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) of 100-400 points.
• Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 15 mL of silicolgel (n = 60) or placebo (n = 60) three times daily for 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week no-medication observation phase to assess the return of symptoms.
• The primary outcome was a reduction in IBS-SSS scores by ≥ 50 points after 4 weeks of treatment, indicating a clinically meaningful improvement in symptoms.
• Patients used daily diaries to track bowel habits, IBS symptoms (including abdominal pain and bloating), and quality of life.

TAKEAWAY:

• After 4 weeks, the proportion of patients achieving at least a 50-point reduction in the IBS-SSS score was significantly higher in the silicolgel group than in the placebo group (91.67% vs 20%; relative risk [RR], 4.58; P < .0001).
• The silicolgel group showed a significantly greater decrease in the mean IBS-SSS score, from 255.62 at baseline to 92.75 after 4 weeks, than the placebo group that showed a change from 254.42 at baseline to 257.58 after 4 weeks (P < .001).
• Among patients with IBS-D and IBS-M, those on silicolgel vs placebo achieved the primary outcome (RR, 4.77 and 4.44, respectively; P < .0001 for both).
• Significant reductions in mean severity scores were noted for IBS symptoms from baseline to week 4 with silicolgel. All adverse events were mild and non-serious, noted at one site, and found unrelated to treatment, with no treatment discontinuations observed.

IN PRACTICE:

“Silicolgel is a widely available and affordable enterosorbent treatment, providing safe and effective relief of symptoms in patients with IBS-D and IBS-M. Based on these findings, its use should be considered more widely for frontline therapy of IBS-D and IBS-M,” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by O. Kuzminska, Chernivtsi Hospital of Emergency Medical Care, Chernivtsi, Ukraine. It was published online on July 25, 2025, in Neurogastroenterology & Motility.

LIMITATIONS:

Silicolgel is not absorbed and works locally in the gut, beginning to exert its effect immediately. Thickeners could not be used in the placebo because they affect the gut, so the viscosity of the placebo was a white, watery solution. Additionally, the treatment was limited to 28 days as silicolgel’s licence permits a continuous dosing period of not more than 4 weeks.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by FW Medical Ltd, the owner of silicolgel, and Delta Medical LLC, the distributor of silicolgel in Ukraine. They had no direct involvement in the study. One author reported being a consultant for the owner company.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.