Search

Current pharmacological therapy for gastroparesis is limited by a few optional agents with high side effect profiles. Probiotics, which exert both prokinetic and antibiotic properties, can be a good alternative. This study investigates the effects of capsules containing three species of Lactobacillus on gastric emptying function by using a crossover placebo-controlled clinical trial. The 15 healthy participants recruited were divided into two groups, with one group of 7 persons aged between 20-40 and another group of 8 persons aged between 41-60. All the participants in each group were provided with placebo capsules and probiotic capsules, respectively, to be taken twice a day after meals for 3 weeks with crossover in the following 3 weeks. Tc-99m scintigraphy was performed at the beginning of weeks 0, 3 and 6 to determine the gastric emptying rate. All time-activity curves were constructed and the half time of gastric emptying (GEt1/2) was calculated for the same subject for comparison. The GEt1/2 of the baseline, placebo and Lactobacillus regimen periods for the 20-40 age group were 73.0 ± 16.0, 85.7 ± 10.5, and 87.8 ± 10.0 min, respectively, while those for the 41-60 age group were 79.1 ± 23.9, 70.9 ± 33.1, and 68.4 ± 15.2 min, respectively. Comparison of the two groups showed a positive effect of probiotics capsules on the 41 to 60-year-old participants (p = 0.013) but not on the 20 to 40-year-old participants. There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups in the period of treatment with placebo. This early stage trial indicated that the multi-strain Lactobacillus capsule is safe and the results provided some evidence that it accelerated gastric emptying in healthy adults above 40 years of age and may become a therapeutic approach in future trials for pathological gastric emptying delay, by implication, especially in diabetic gastroparesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability of Chhit-Chan-Than extract powder (CCTEP, 10% aqueous Ocimum gratissimum L. extract) to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in vivo was investigated. Wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group A was a normal control group given only vehicle; Group B, the hepatotoxic group, was injected intraperitoneally twice a week with repeated 8% CCl4/olive oil (0.1 mL/100 g of body weight); Groups C–E, extract-treated groups received CCl4 and different doses of CCTEP (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) or silymarin (200 mg/kg of body weight) daily by gavage for 8 weeks, respectively. The results showed that the CCl4-induced histopathogical changes may be prevented by CCTEP through reducing the intercellular collogen stack, dropping blood serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, and restoring the catalase activity and glutathione content. The hepatoprotective properties were further confirmed by the marked improvement in histopathological examination and by quantitative steatosis-fibrosis scoring. The above results suggest that CCTEP is able to prevent the liver inflammation and fibrosis induced by repeated CCl4 administration, and the hepatoprotective effects might be correlated partly with its antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocimum gratissimum is used as a traditional folk medicine in many countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activities of an aqueous O. gratissimum extract (OGE) and to evaluate its cytoprotective activity against hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity in human HepG2 cells. The results revealed that the total phenolic content of the OGE reached 20%. In the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the OGE reduced up to 80% of the free radicals at a plateau concentration of 66.7 mg/mL. This indicates that OGE contains considerable free radical scavenging activity. In a dose-dependent manner, OGE pretreatment counteracted the decrease in cell viability in H2O2-treated HepG2 cells ( p < 0.05), and at a concentration of 20e80 mg/mL, it effectively reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) formation. These findings indicated that the aqueous extract of O. gratissimum has an antioxidant capacity and protective effect on oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. This makes OGE a promising therapeutic agent in liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis and progression of liver disease are associated with free radical injury and oxidative stress, which can be partially attenuated by antioxidants and free radical scavengers. Lactic acid bacteria, which have been traditionally used in the production of various fermented foods, are important intestinal microflora and natural antioxidants. The hypothesis that lactic acid bacteria can prevent or decrease fe;7-butyl hydroperoxide (Z-BHP)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells was investigated. Intracellular extracts and heat-killed cells of Lactobacillus acidophilus Lal2, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus Lb23, Bifldobacterium longum B136 and Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus St28 were used in this study. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reducíase (GRd), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were determined to explore the influence of lactic acid bacteria intervention on cell damage and antioxidative status. Toxic damage to hepatocytes by /-BHP was attenuated by lactic acid bacteria (which exerted protective effects by decreasing the risk of accumulated ROS and by reactivating antioxidant enzymes) in HepG2 cells treated with lactic acid bacteria before /-BHP exposure. The results of this study provide new insights into the mechanisms by which lactic acid bacteria with antioxidative properties can help to protect the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]