Alteration of GI symptoms in a cow with Johne disease by the dietary organosulfur, 2-mercaptoethanol

Sub-phenotypes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis and some cases of irritable bowel syndrome—are generally considered a consequence of gastrointestinal inflammation of unknown etiology. Conventional therapy and more recently biologic agents, all with varying degrees of drawbacks, have resulted in improved control of these diseases. However, as the incidence and prevalence continue to rise, needs for prevention, permanent remission and cures remain unmet, plus there still remain needs for improved control of symptoms, such as pain and diarrhea. The case report herein describes a serendipitous, novel means for curtailing these symptoms associated with a bovine gastrointestinal disease that may have applicability for patients with diseases characterized by abdominal-visceral pain and diarrhea.