Do Herbal Supplements and Probiotics Complement Antibiotics and Diet in the Management of SIBO? A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) arises from dysbiosis in the small intestine, manifesting with abdominal symptoms. This study aims to assess the efficacy of combined antibiotic therapy, herbal supplements, probiotics, and dietary modifications in SIBO management. A total of 179 SIBO-diagnosed patients underwent clinical evaluation and breath testing. Patients were categorized into hydrogen (H2-SIBO) and methane (CH4-SIBO) groups. The control group received standard antibiotic therapy and a low-FODMAP diet, while the intervention group received additional herbal antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics. After treatment, both groups exhibited reduced gas levels, particularly in CH4-SIBO. Clinical remission rates were higher in the intervention group, especially in CH4-SIBO cases. Logistic regression analysis showed gas concentrations at diagnosis as significant predictors of treatment success. In conclusion, adjunctive herbal supplements and probiotics did not significantly impact gas levels, but showed potential for clinical improvement, especially in CH4-SIBO.

The Nephroprotective Effect of Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) and Rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) in Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity on Wistar Rats with Emphasis on the Evaluation of Novel Renal Biomarkers and the Antioxidant Capacity in Correlation with Nitro-Oxidative Stress.

In spite of its well-known nephrotoxicity, gentamicin is nonetheless routinely used in humans and animals. However, no adjuvant treatments have been implemented to mitigate this harmful effect. Given this concern, medicinal plants represent a significant reservoir of natural antioxidants that could potentially reduce the renal oxidative stress induced by gentamicin. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to investigate the nephroprotective properties of Cornus mas and Sorbus aucuparia fruits in an experimental model of nephrotoxicity. The 3-week study was performed on male Wistar rats, which were randomly divided into six experimental groups, being subcutaneously treated with 50 mg/kg gentamicin and orally given Cornus mas and Sorbus aucuparia extracts, in doses of 40 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Antioxidant therapy significantly improved the nitro-oxidative stress parameters as well as the specific renal biomarkers KIM-1 and iNAG, demonstrating a considerable renal tubular protective impact. These outcomes were reinforced by biochemical and histopathological enhancements. Nevertheless, neither of the tested extracts succeeded in substantially diminishing BUN levels. Additionally, CysC did not significantly decline following extracts treatment, suggesting that the remedies did not effectively protect renal glomeruli against gentamicin stress. Future studies are required in order to determine the underlying mechanisms of these berries.

Role of Key Micronutrients from Nutrigenetic and Nutrigenomic Perspectives in Cancer Prevention.

Regarding cancer as a genetic multi-factorial disease, a number of aspects need to be investigated and analyzed in terms of cancer's predisposition, development and prognosis. One of these multi-dimensional factors, which has gained increased attention in the oncological field due to its unelucidated role in risk assessment for cancer, is diet. Moreover, as studies advance, a clearer connection between diet and the molecular alteration of patients is becoming identifiable and quantifiable, thereby replacing the old general view associating specific phenotypical changes with the differential intake of nutrients. Respectively, there are two major fields concentrated on the interrelation between genome and diet: nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. Nutrigenetics studies the effects of nutrition at the gene level, whereas nutrigenomics studies the effect of nutrients on genome and transcriptome patterns. By precisely evaluating the interaction between the genomic profile of patients and their nutrient intake, it is possible to envision a concept of personalized medicine encompassing nutrition and health care. The list of nutrients that could have an inhibitory effect on cancer development is quite extensive, with evidence in the scientific literature. The administration of these nutrients showed significant results in vitro and in vivo regarding cancer inhibition, although more studies regarding administration in effective doses in actual patients need to be done.

Dietary Intervention by Phytochemicals and Their Role in Modulating Coding and Non-Coding Genes in Cancer.

Phytochemicals are natural compounds synthesized as secondary metabolites in plants, representing an important source of molecules with a wide range of therapeutic applications. These natural agents are important regulators of key pathological processes/conditions, including cancer, as they are able to modulate the expression of coding and non-coding transcripts with an oncogenic or tumour suppressor role. These natural agents are currently exploited for the development of therapeutic strategies alone or in tandem with conventional treatments for cancer. The aim of this paper is to review the recent studies regarding the role of these natural phytochemicals in different processes related to cancer inhibition, including apoptosis activation, angiogenesis and metastasis suppression. From the large palette of phytochemicals we selected epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), genistein, morin and kaempferol, due to their increased activity in modulating multiple coding and non-coding genes, targeting the main hallmarks of cancer.