Based on published guidelines on the management of chronic constipation, secondary causes should be excluded and then patients should be told to increase their dietary fiber intake to 20-25 g per day. If these measures do not improve the symptoms, conventional laxatives are generally the next choice. Although there is limited evidence for the efficacy of these older laxatives due to a lack of well-designed clinical trials, most clinicians agree that they are effective at relieving the symptoms of constipation. Conventional laxatives include bulk-forming, osmotic, and stimulant laxatives. Bulking laxatives consist of fiber such as psyllium, cellulose, and bran. Osmotic laxatives are classified into sugar-based laxatives and polyethylene glycol. Bisacodyl and sodium picosulfate are stimulant laxatives. Understanding their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and side effects might improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic constipation.
Bisacodyl ; Cellulose ; Constipation ; Dietary Fiber ; Humans ; Laxatives* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Psyllium ; Quality of Life ; Sodium

Diets with high fiber content improve most metabolic syndrome (MetS) profile in non-diabetic individuals, but there is scarce information about the role of fiber intake in patients with the MetS and diabetes. The objective of this study is to determine whether soluble fiber supplementation improve MetS profile for 8 weeks of intervention in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) adult patients. After one week of dietary stabilization phase, 36 newly diagnosed T2D patients were stratified to different strata according to sex, age, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and waist circumference (WC). Then they were randomly allocated into 2 groups. The psyllium group (n = 18) received 10.5 g of psyllium daily for 8 weeks. The control group (n = 18) maintained their regular diet for 8 weeks. Soluble fiber supplementation showed significant reduction in the majority of MetS profile; FBS (43.55 mg/dL, p < 0.001), triglyceride (37.89 mg/dL, p < 0.001), total cholesterol (20.32 mg/dL, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (7.50 mmHg, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (2.78 mmHg, p = 0.013), and WC (2.54 cm, p < 0.001) in the intervention group compared with the control group after 8 weeks of intervention. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced in both groups, but this reduction was insignificant. The improvement in the MetS profile was enhanced by combining psyllium to the normal diet. Consumption of foods containing moderate amounts of these fibers may improve MetS profile in newly diagnosed T2D patients. This study was registered in Current Controlled Trials (PHRC/HC/28/15).
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Fasting ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Psyllium ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference

OBJECTIVE: The purposes were to determine the baseline colon transit time (CTT) and to assess the effect of dietary fiber (psyllium husk) on neurogenic bowel function in chronic spinal cord injured (SCI) persons. METHOD: Eleven chronic spinal cord injured persons with upper motor neuron type neurogenic bowel were participated. Personal interview were carried out for all studied subjects at pre and post treatment period. The baseline colon transit time (CTT) were measured for the right (rCTT), left (lCTT), rectosigmoid (rsCTT) colons as well as for the entire colon using radio-opaque markers. After 4 weeks treatment of psyllium husk, the subjects were reevaluated for their CTTs and the results were compared to the pretreatment values. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 33.9+/-11.0 years and the level of injury ranged from C3 to T10. The mean duration after SCI was 22.6 months (6~47 months). The rCTT, lCTT, rsCTT and tCTT were not affected after the treatment of psyllium husk. Also their bowel care patterns and satisfaction were unaffected by the treatment. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the use of psyllium husk in chronic spinal cord injured persons do not show the same effect on bowel function as has been previously reported in general population with idiopathic constipation.
Colon ; Constipation ; Dietary Fiber ; Humans ; Motor Neurons ; Neurogenic Bowel* ; Psyllium* ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord*

We investigated whether the consumption of Korean rice cakes enriched with dietary fiber with or without polyphenol rich plants might decrease the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Rice cakes were manufactured using fructooligosaccharides, resistant starch, and psyllium as sources of dietary fibers with and without polyphenol rich Artemisia annua and Gynura procumbens Merr. (RC+FP and RC+F, respectively), and prepared in three forms (songpyeon, seolgidduk, and chaldduk). Ninety subjects with at least one MetS risk factor were recruited for 6 weeks of dietary intervention. Sixty subjects were finally included for the analysis. Compared to the initial values, RC+FP group had decreased levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), HOMA-IR and blood pressure after 6 weeks, whereas RC+F group didn't have significant changes in them. Regarding the improvement of individual MetS risk factors, RC+FP group showed significant reduction in FBG and blood pressures but RC+F group only had reduction in systolic blood pressure. After the intervention, a reduction in the number of MetS risk factors was greatert in the RC+FP group than in the RC+F group. In conclusion, Dietary fiber enriched rice cakes with or without polyphenols decreased the number and/or the levels of MetS risk factors. Polyphenol rich plant components may provide additional health benefits in controlling FBG and blood pressure.
Artemisia annua* ; Artemisia* ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Dietary Fiber* ; Fasting ; Insurance Benefits ; Plant Structures ; Polyphenols ; Psyllium ; Risk Factors* ; Starch

BACKGROUND: Recently developed electrically stimulated gracilis neosphicter or artificial sphincter is quite a promising trial in fecal incontinence However, surgical technique is not simple, the devices are expensive and only specialists can perform the procedures successfully. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed simple silicon device in incontinent dog model. METHODS: A New Colostomy Device (NCD; US Patent No. 5,569,216) for fixing in the stoma or rectum of human body, includes an internal balloon, a ring figured extemal balloon surrounding the internal balloon, a connecting tube disposed under the both infernal and external balloons and supply tube containing a pair of air passages and an enema fluid passage. It is designed to be inserted into the rectum and is held in place by an inflatable external balloon and drains irrigated fecal matter through a thin collapsible connecting tube which exist in the anal canal. Six mongrel dog with 22~26 kg of body weight were prepared. Anal incontinence was made by bilateral severing of the internal and external sphincters and puborectalis muscle under the general anesthesia. Marlex mesh ring was applied to the anal canal as Thiersch wire for the prevention of NCD expulsion in straining. After then, NCD with 2.5 cm of luminal diameter was inserted to the rectum proximal to the Malex mesh ring. Daily irrigation and evacuation was done with 800~1000 cc of tepid water in each dogs. Daily food contained 30 gm of Psyllium dextrose. RESULTS: Initially 6 dogs were observed for 7 days. Daily irrigation made evacuation of fecal matter well in each dogs. There was no prolapse of device through the anal orifice. Anoscopic examination after 7 days showed no rectal and anal mucosal injury. Two dogs were kept for 40 days as same manner. Sometimes spontaneous bowel movement without water irrigation was noted when the stool were loose. Weelky anoscopic examination revealed no evidence of mucosal injuries for 40 days also. There was no septic or other complication. CONCLUSION: NCD evacuated fecal matter well enough to empty the rectum in all incontinence dog model. Adequate sized NCD could be used for clinical trials in selected incontinence patients.
Anal Canal ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Colostomy* ; Dogs* ; Enema ; Fecal Incontinence ; Glucose ; Human Body ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Polypropylenes ; Prolapse ; Psyllium ; Rectum ; Silicones ; Specialization ; Water

In some clinical situations such as cerebrovascular accident, pelvic bone fracture or any bed ridden states patients do not have self control of their bowel movement. Nursing care around the perianal area is not an easy job. There is no devices which substitude the work because of the chracteristics of the anatomy of the anorectum and the fecal matter made of solid and gel state component. AIM: to evaluate the possibility of passive evacuation of the fecal matter from the rectum with a newly developed silicon device. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A New Colostomy Device (NCD; US Patent No. 5,569,216) for fixing in the stoma or rectum of human body, includes an internal balloon, a ring figured external balloon surrounding the internal balloon, a connecting tube disposed under the both internal and external balloons and supply tube containing a pair of air passages and an enema fluid passages. It is designed to be inserted into the rectum and is held in place by an inflatable external balloon and drains irrigated fecal matter through a thin collapsible connecting tube which exist in the anal canal. Six mongrel dog with 20~25 kg of body weight was used for the acute experiment. Three types (1.5, 2.0, 2.5 cm in luminal diameter of the solid portion) of NCD were applied in 3 consecutive every other days. For softening of the stool, normally harder than that of human, Psyllium dextrose 30 gm was added to the daily food. Average 750 cc of tepid water was administered through the device for bowel irrigation. Anesthesia was not used in each procedures. The amount evacuated fecal matter and remained solid stool in rectum were checked. To evaluate the rectal mucosal injury anoscopic examinations were performed. RESULTS: Stool evacuation was closely correlated with the intemal diameter of the device and stool component. The device with 2.5 cm in luminal diameter passed fecal matter well enough in 5 of 6 dogs however, smaller devices did not. Accidental prolapse of NCD were noted in 4 of 6 cases with 2.5 cm sized and all of 1.5 and 2.0 sized devices eventually until last push. CONCLUSION: The NCD with 2.5 cm of internal diameter could be used in selected clinical situations.
Anal Canal ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Colostomy* ; Dogs* ; Enema ; Glucose ; Human Body ; Humans ; Nursing Care ; Pelvic Bones ; Phenobarbital ; Prolapse ; Psyllium ; Rectum ; Silicones ; Stroke ; Water

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Myocardial infarction (MI) is caused by extensive myocardial damage attributed to the occlusion of coronary arteries. Our previous study in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) demonstrated that administration of arabinoxylan (AX), comprising arabinose and xylose, protects against myocardial injury. In this study, we undertook to investigate whether psyllium seed husk (PSH), a safe dietary fiber containing a high level of AX (> 50%), also imparts protection against myocardial injury in the same rat model. MATERIALS/METHODS: Rats were fed diets supplemented with PSH (1, 10, or 100 mg/kg/d) for 3 d. The rats were then subjected to 30 min ischemia through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by 3 h reperfusion through release of the ligation. The hearts were harvested and cut into four slices. To assess infarct size (IS), an index representing heart damage, the slices were stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). To elucidate underlying mechanisms, Western blotting was performed for the slices. RESULTS: Supplementation with 10 or 100 mg/kg/d of PSH significantly reduces the IS. PSH supplementation (100 mg/kg/d) tends to reduce caspase-3 generation and increase BCL-2/BAX ratio. PSH supplementation also upregulates the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), and its target genes including antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase mu 2 (GSTM2) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2). PSH supplementation upregulates some sirtuins (NAD+-dependent deacetylases) including SIRT5 (a mitochondrial sirtuin) and SIRT6 and SIRT7 (nuclear sirtuins). Finally, PSH supplementation upregulates the expression of protein kinase A (PKA), and increases phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) (pCREB), a target protein of PKA. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study indicate that PSH consumption reduces myocardial I/R injury in rats by inhibiting the apoptotic cascades through modulation of gene expression of several genes located upstream of apoptosis. Therefore, we believe that PSH can be developed as a functional food that would be beneficial in the prevention of MI.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Arabinose ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Coronary Vessels ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; Diet ; Dietary Fiber ; Functional Food ; Gene Expression ; Glutathione Transferase ; Heart ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Ligation ; Models, Animal ; Myocardial Infarction ; Psyllium ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Sirtuins ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Xylose