'Worm' Pill May Provide New Treatment for Autoimmune Diseases

Worms might seem creepy, crawly and down-right disgusting, but did you know they can also help to fight some autoimmune diseases? A molecule in parasitic worms may even be able to effectively treat certain types of illnesses, including multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, according to recent findings published in the FASEB Journal.

"There are more than eighty autoimmune diseases, ranging in severity from mild to life threatening in some cases. While some affect mainly one area or organ, others can affect many parts of the body," said lead researcher Professor Ray Norton from Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), in a news release. "Many people believe there's a link between the rise in autoimmune diseases and an increased focus on cleanliness in western societies, because the immune system is no longer exposed to the broad range of infections that previous generations had to deal with."

So far, researchers have identified peptides from parasitic worms that suppress the body's immune response. They actually believe that this discovery could help to invent new drugs that contain relieving peptides needed for the harsh symptoms of certain autoimmune illnesses that occur when a person's immune system provides an abnormal response against its very own cells, tissues or even organs that can result in inflammation, damage and even death.

The new line of alternative therapy that researchers are specifically focusing on involves an alternative helminthic therapy where people deliberately infect themselves with parasitic worms in an attempt to put their disease into remission. If successful, it's believed that the worms would have a calming effect on the host's immune system and prolong survival.

Researchers used active components found in the worms instead of using the annelids themselves.

"Our research shows that it is possible to identify individual molecules responsible for this beneficial affect," said Dr. Sandeep Chhabra from Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. "The next step will be to see if we can develop this into a pill that could dampen the immune system in people with an autoimmune disease. That's a whole lot cleaner than putting a worm in your body."