Food Additive May Be Worsening Clostridium Difficile Epidemic America (...)
C-diff is a bacterium that causes a life-threatening infection. Though the bacterium can infect healthy individuals, it is of particular concern to those who are hospitalized or are taking
Excess dietary zinc worsens C. diff infection -- ScienceDaily
The consumption of dietary supplements and cold therapies containing high concentrations of zinc is now being called into question, following research that suggests it may worsen Clostridium difficile infection.
Dietary trehalose enhances virulence of epidemic Clostridium difficile (...)
Two hypervirulent ribotypes of the enteric pathogen Clostridium difficile, RT027 and RT078, have independently acquired unique mechanisms to metabolize low concentrations of the disaccharide trehalose, suggesting a correlation between the emergence of these ribotypes and the widespread adoption of trehalose in the human diet.
Fidaxomicin Use and Clinical Outcomes for Clostridium difficile–Associ (...)
Fidaxomicin has been scrutinized because of its high acquisition cost. Real-world experience is needed to determine whether fidaxomicin has value in patients with Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) and certain risk factors.In this ...
Clostridium difficile disease has recently increased to become a dominant nosocomial pathogen in North America and Europe, although little is known about what has driven this emergence. Here we show that two epidemic ribotypes (RT027 and RT078) have acquired unique mechanisms to metabolize low conce …
Dietary sugar linked to bacterial epidemics Baylor College of Medicin (...)
The increasing frequency and severity of healthcare-associated outbreaks caused by bacterium Clostridium difficile have been linked to the widely used...
Did a Sugar Called Trehalose Contribute to the Clostridium difficile E (...)
This Medical News article discusses whether trehalose, a sugar manufactured from cornstarch used to sweeten and texturize foods, has contributed to the emergence of epidemic strains of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
C. difficile infection - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic
Learn more about this infectious disease that is becoming more common and often affects older adults in a health care facility, often after antibiotic use.
Antibiotics pave way for C. diff infections by killing bile acid-alter (...)
Bile acids, which are altered by bacteria normally living in the large intestine, inhibit the growth of Clostridium difficile, new research indicates. The work sheds light on the ways in which some commonly used antibiotics can promote C. diff infections by killing off the bile acid-altering microbes.
1 Genetic determinants of trehalose utilization are not associated with severe Clostridium difficile infection outcome
Abstract. In a case–control study of patients with Clostridium difficile infection, we found no statistically significant association between the presence of tr
Lead Bioactive Compounds of Aloe vera as Potential Anticancer Agent - ScienceDirect
Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) is a perennial succulent medicinal plant. It has been used as a traditional or folk medicine for thousands of year…
Long Period Starvation in Rat The Effect of Aloe Vera Gel Extract on O (...)
Objective: Starvation have pro-oxidative effect as a consequence of both elevated ROS generation and defeat in neutralization of ROS. Aloe vera juice induced oxidative stress and significantly decreased antioxidant enzymes levels. The main aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of Aloe vera gel extract on oxidative stress status during long period starvationMethod: Twenty-four mature male albino Wistar rats were housed in standard cages. In this study starvation cycle (rats were starved for two days and then were fed for one day) was used. This study was performed during intermediate period (60 days).Animals were divided into four experimental groups (six rats in each group): 1) normal control; 2) starved rats + water/ethanol; 3) starved rats + hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract (100 mg/kg); 4) starved rats + hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract (200 mg/kg); 5) Without starvation with hydro-alcoholic Aloe Vera gel extract (100 mg/kg); 6) Without starvation with hydro-alcoholic Aloe Vera gel extract (200 mg/kg). Blood samples were obtained using cardiac puncture. In blood samples, antioxidant enzymes including SOD, GPx and catalase, antioxidant trace elements including copper, zinc and magnesium and antioxidant vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C were measured Results: Plasma levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD,GPX and catalase) significantly decreased in starved rats + water/ethanol group (P< 0.05). Plasma levels of antioxidant enzymes after treatment with hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Also, plasma levels of antioxidant enzymes in normal rats (without starvation) after treatment with hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of Cu, Zn and Mn in normal control group had no significant difference with starved rats + water/ethanol and starved rats + hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract in 100 and 200 mg/kg dose groups (P > 0.05). Plasma levels of vitamin A and E in normal control group had no significant difference with starved rats + water/ethanol and starved rats + hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract in the 100 and 200 mg/kg dose groups (P > 0.05). Plasma level of vitamin C significantly decreased in starved rats + water/ethanol group (P < 0.05). Plasma level of vitamin C after treatment with hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Also, plasma level of vitamin C in normal rats (without starvation) after treatment with hydro-alcoholic Aloe vera gel extract at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg was significantly increased (P < 0.05)Conclusion:In concluding our results it is shown that intermediate period starvation caused an increase in oxidative stress via impairing of antioxidant defense and Aloe vera treatment is able to improve antioxidative defense induced by starvation
Pharmaceutics Free Full-Text Intestinal Drug Absorption Enhancement by Aloe vera Gel and Whole Leaf Extract In Vitro Investigations into the Mechanisms of Action
The co-administration of absorption enhancing agents with macromolecular drugs (e.g., protein and peptide drugs) has been identified as a means to improve the oral bioavailability of these drugs. Absorption-enhancing agents of natural origins have received a great deal of attention due to their sustainable production, in support of green chemistry. In previous studies, certain parts of the Aloe vera leaf (e.g., gel and whole leaf extract) have shown a potential to enhance drug permeation across the intestinal epithelial barrier. The mechanism of the drug-absorption-enhancement action and the capacity for absorption-enhancement of the A. vera gel and whole leaf, were investigated in this study. A clear decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 cell monolayers exposed to A. vera gel and wholeleaf extract, in various concentrations, indicated the opening of tight junctions between the epithelial cells. The transport of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran, with a molecular weight of 4 kDa (FD-4), could be enhanced across the Caco-2 cell monolayers, by the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract, but not the FITC-dextran with larger molecular weights (i.e., 10, 20, and 40 kDa), which indicated a limited drug absorption enhancement capacity, in terms of the molecular size. Accumulation of FD-4 between the Caco-2 cells (and not within the cells), after treatment with the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract was shown with a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging, indicating that the paracellular transport of FD-4 occurred after the interaction of the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract, with the epithelial cell monolayers. Furthermore, changes in the F-actin distribution in the cytoskeleton of the Caco-2 cell monolayers was observed by means of a fluorescence staining, which confirmed tight junction modulation as the mechanism of action for the absorption enhancement effect of the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract.
The human colonic bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, which plays an important role in maintaining human health, produces an extensive array of exo-acting glycoside hydrolases (GH), including 32 family GH2 glycoside hydrolases. Although it is likely that these enzymes enable the organism to utilize dietary and host glycans as major nutrient sources, the biochemical properties of these GH2 glycoside hydrolases are currently unclear. Here we report the biochemical properties and crystal structure of the GH2 B.
Intestinal Drug Absorption Enhancement by Aloe vera Gel and Whole Leaf Extract In Vitro Investigations into the Mechanisms of Action
The co-administration of absorption enhancing agents with macromolecular drugs (e.g., protein and peptide drugs) has been identified as a means to improve the oral bioavailability of these drugs. Absorption-enhancing agents of natural origins have received ...
Oral administration of Aloe vera ameliorates wound healing through improved angiogenesis and chemotaxis in Sprague Dawley rats - PubMed
Aloe vera healed wounds earlier than untreated rats with gradual improvement in wound areas and collagen content. Aloe vera also improved the expression of IGF-1 and VEGF in skin and bone marrow indicating improvement in angiogenesis. RT- PCR analysis showed increased expression of genes for chemota …
Nutrients Free Full-Text Efficacy of Aloe Vera Supplementation on Pr (...)
The aim of this study was to evaluate evidence for the efficacy of aloe vera on managing prediabetes and early non-treated diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until 28 January 2016. A total of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 415 participants were included. Compared with the controls, aloe vera supplementation significantly reduced the concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p = 0.02; weighed mean difference [WMD]: −30.05 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −54.87 to −5.23 mg/dL), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p < 0.00001; WMD: −0.41%; 95% CI: −0.55% to −0.27%), triglyceride (p = 0.0001), total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.00001), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.00001). Aloe vera was superior to placebo in increasing serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.04). Only one adverse event was reported. The evidence from RCTs showed that aloe vera might effectively reduce the levels of FBG, HbA1c, triglyceride, TC and LDL-C, and increase the levels of HDL-C on prediabetes and early non-treated diabetic patients. Limited evidence exists about the safety of aloe vera. Given the small number and poor quality of RCTs included in the meta-analysis, these results are inconclusive. A large-scale, well-designed RCT is needed to further address this issue.
Oral administration of Aloe vera gel, anti-microbial and anti-inflamma (...)
Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Aloe barbadensis Mill) Liliaceae, succulent plant native to northern Africa, is presently cultivated in many regions of the world. Traditionally, its inner part of parenchyma, which contains aloe gel, was used for the treatment ...
Nutraceutical, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical potential of Aloe vera A review Upadhyay International Journal of Green Pharmacy (IJGP)
The present review explains therapeutic and pharmaceutical potential of Aloe vera a well-known plant grows in semi-arid climate of tropical and subtropical regions. This article emphasizes important uses of A. vera constituents as dietary nutraceutical, medicinal, and therapeutic potential. Plant is cultivated for agricultural and medicinal and decoration purposes for indoors as a potted plant. Plant is a good depository of chemical constituents which display a very wide array of biological activities such as anticancer, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antiparasitic, antitumor, antioxidant, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective, and gastroprotective. Plant is used to prepare skin protective/care gels mainly for soothing, moisturizing, and wound healing. Thick watery plant sap works are added as key ingredient in many beauty products. Plant leaves are used to generate aroma, beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, or ointments for minor burns. Plant contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids, and amino acids as main ingredients. Plant is a good source of Vitamins A, C, and E, which are antioxidants. It also contains Vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline watery juicy of A. vera leaf which contains important minerals such as calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Plant ingredients were found active against gingivitis, psoriasis, and used for herbal therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. A. vera contains important fatty acids mainly steroids such as cholesterol, campesterol, β-sitosterol, and lupeol. Aloin and emodin act as analgesics, antibacterials, and antivirals while lupeol shows antiseptic and analgesic properties. It also contains auxins and gibberellin hormones that help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action. Saponins that are the soapy substances display cleansing and antiseptic properties.
