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Taking pills containing fecal matter can reverse a life-threatening bacterial stomach infection, researchers have shown.

According to BBC, C. difficile infections occur when some bacteria in the stomach are killed by antibiotics, allow C.difficile to build toxins in the stomach. This can lead to serious diarrhea. The effectiveness of fecal matter in treating this condition is known but earlier methods were difficult to administer.

"Numerous reports have shown that FMT is effective in treating active C. difficile infection and preventing recurrences in patients whose infections failed to respond to standard treatments. The procedures that have been used before - colonoscopies, nasogastric tubes, even enemas - all have potential risks and discomforts for patients," said Ilan Youngster, corresponding author of the study, in a news release.

The use of capsules simplifies the procedure immensely, making the treatment affordable to the masses.

In the present study researchers gave pills containing fecal matter to a group of 20 people with C.difficile infection. They found that in 19 volunteers the symptoms had disappeared, The Times of India reported.  

"This small investigation was designed to be a pilot study and provides preliminary data supporting the safety and effectiveness of this approach. More experience and larger studies are needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy, and further investigation should help determine the most effective microbial mixes for either oral or procedural administration," Elizabeth Hohmann, senior author of the report and an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said.

Researchers warned against trying the remedy at home indicating it could be dangerous.

"While we are striving to make this treatment more accessible to patients, it's important to remind people of the potential dangers of attempting 'home brew' FMT using fecal material from family members or friends. Many people can be carriers of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are shed in their stools but have no symptoms. It's not enough to know your donor and just ask how he or she feels, as some websites suggest. In any form, this procedure should only be performed under strict medical supervision with material from thoroughly screened donors," Youngster.