Scientists have discovered a new, inexpensive compound that has the potential to treat acute diarrhea. The finding could prove beneficial for developing countries, where diarrhea is a major cause of child deaths.

The new compound is a pyridopyrimidine derivative that targets E. coli and other enterotoxigenic strains of bacteria that cause acute secretory diarrhea, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston said.

Researchers found that the new compound is associated with a significant reduction in intestinal fluid secretion in an animal model of bacterial diarrhea. It was also linked to reduced fluid build up during laboratory tests on human colon cells and caused significant decrease in fluid secretion without apparent toxicity, scientists said.

The compound works by interrupting the diarrhea-causing chain of events and slows down the transmission of bacteria in the epithelial cells lining the intestines that leads to diarrhea. The compound also helps prevent the molecular mediators for the secretion of salt and fluid in the gut from getting fully activated.

The compound not only reduced fluid build-up in laboratory tests on human cells but there was also no indication of toxicity caused by the compound.

Currently, there is no effective way to directly treat secretory diarrhea and doctors mainly aim at minimizing fluid loss through intravenous or oral rehydration. The research was published in the June 16 online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.