Chemical Analysis and in Vitro Antiviral Effects of Northeast Türkiye Propolis Samples against HSV-1.

Propolis is one of the mixtures with the widest biological activity among natural products used in complementary medicine. HSV-1 is a highly contagious and endemic virus. Available drugs are insufficient for recurrent HSV-1 infections. Therefore, new approaches to treat HSV-1 infections are still being developed. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the inhibition effect of ethanolic Anatolian propolis extracts obtained from the Eastern Black Sea Region (Pazar, Ardahan, and Uzungöl) on HSV-1. In addition to the total phenolic (TPC) and the total flavonoid content (TFC), the phenolic profiles of the extracts were analyzed by HPLC-UV. The antiviral activity of the extracts were tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), and plaque reduction tests, and the results were evaluated statistically. It was determined that the total amount of phenolic substances varied between 44.12 and 166.91 mg GAE/g, and the total flavonoid content of the samples varied between 12.50 and 41.58 (mg QUE/g). It was shown that all propolis samples used in the current study were effective against HSV-1, but the higher phenolic compounds contained in the samples showed the higher activity. The results show that ethanolic propolis extracts are promising candidates for HSV-1 treatment.

Sociodemographic characteristics and clinical risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection and antibiotic resistance in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and sociodemographic risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection and antibiotic resistance in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 344 patients with dyspeptic symptoms who completed an extended questionnaire were enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection was made by rapid urease test, histopathological investigation, and culture. Susceptibility of H. pylori strains was assessed by agar dilution (amoxicillin, tetracycline, metronidazole, levofloxacin) and E-test (clarithromycin) methods. RESULTS: The H. pylori positivity rate was 40.4% (139/344). Logistic regression analysis indicated that age and the presence of duodenal ulcer were independent risk factors associated with H. pylori positivity (odds ratio (OR): 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99, p=0.013; OR: 5.42, 95% CI: 1.96-14.98, p=0.001, respectively). Of 104 H. pylori-positive cultures, 43 strains (41%) were susceptible to all antibiotics, whereas 61 (59%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic. H. pylori resistance rates were 34% for levofloxacin, 31.1% for metronidazole, 28.2% for clarithromycin, 2.9% for amoxicillin, and 1% for tetracycline. Logistic regression analysis indicated that previous use of clarithromycin was the only independent risk factor for H. pylori resistance (OR: 6.25, 95% CI: 1.59-24.52, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: An understanding of the risk factors for H. pylori positivity and antibiotic resistance in an extended anamnesis may affect treatment choice and facilitate H. pylori eradication. In regions where antibiotic resistance rates are elevated, performing antibiotic susceptibility tests may lead to effective eradication treatment.

Hydroxytyrosol: The Phytochemical Responsible for Bioactivity of Traditionally used Olive Pits.

The fruits of Olea europaea L. is widely consumed as food, and olive pits are utilized in folk medicine to relieve gastric disturbances. In the present study, the possible anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts of black (BP) and green olive (GP) pit prepared at gastric fed state pH were evaluated in vitro. Moreover, the bioactive compound, hydroxytyrosol (HT), was isolated from the extracts for the first time. According to results, GP extract (62.5 to 1000 µg/mL) showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in a dose-dependent manner and HT displayed significant nitrite inhibition at 100 µM with slight analgesic activity. Extracts and HT showed a significant antioxidant activity according to Total Antioxidant Capacity (TOAC), cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. As a conclusion, a proper formulation containing HT might be a potential remedy to relieve gastric disturbances and olive pits, can be utilized as a valuable industrial tool for the low-cost production of HT. How to cite this article: Reis R, Sipahi H, Zeybekoglu G, Celik N, Kirmizibekmez H, Kaklikkaya N, Aydin A. Hydroxytyrosol: The Factor Responsible for Bioactivity of Traditionally used Olive Pits. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol, 2018;8(2):126-132.

Effects of long-term synbiotic supplementation in addition to lifestyle changes in children with obesity-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to analyze the efficiency of a novel treatment approach, long-term synbiotic supplementation, in addition to lifestyle changes in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included children with NAFLD (n=28) and a healthy control group (n=30). Children with NAFLD were given 1 capsule/day of synbiotics. Anthropometric parameters; biochemical analysis, including ethanol, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), total oxidant status (TOS) and anti-oxidant status (TAS), zonulin, and fecal calprotectin; and ultrasonographic examination were performed at baseline and 4 months later. RESULTS: The grade of fatty liver was decreased (≥1 grade) in 19 of the 28 patients (67.8%) after synbiotic supplementation. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, TNF-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), and ethanol were significantly decreased, and TAS levels were significantly increased at the end of treatment (p<0.05 for all). We found that the median decrease in CRP (-0.16 vs. -0.03 mg/dL, p=0.003) and LDL levels (-17 vs. -3 mg/dL, p=0.019) were higher in patients who responded to the supplementation. CONCLUSION: Synbiotic supplementation in addition to lifestyle changes is effective in children with NAFLD.