Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Because of lack of hygienic conditions of living and contaminated potable water system, the rural and urban slum people of Bangladesh suffer in large numbers from gastrointestinal disorders like diarrhea and dysentery (mostly caused by Vibrio cholerae, rotavirus, Escherichia coli and Shigella). More than a third of the 160 million people of the country earns below the poverty level income, defined as less than US$ 1 per day. Because of poverty, year round occurrences of gastrointestinal disorders cause the rural and urban poor to seek traditional medicinal help. Holarrhena antidysenterica (Linn.) Wall., belonging to the Apocynaceae family and known in English as bitter oleander, has been used for possibly thousands of years in the Indian sub-continent countries (like India and Bangladesh) as an effective plant against diarrhea and dysentery. The present review gives an account of ethnomedicinal uses of the plant and plant parts and attempts to justify the traditional use of the plant against diarrhea and dysentery based on scientific reports of the phytochemical constituents of the plant and reported pharmacological activities, as well as molecular docking studies between three constituents (conessine, holarrhenine, and kurchessine) of the plant and Capsid Protein VP6 of Group A rotavirus. The docking energies of the phytochemicals with Capsid Protein VP6 suggest that they can be effective inhibitors of rotavirus and therefore merit further studies as potential drugs against diarrhea and dysentery.

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- Medicinal Plants, Molecular docking, Gastrointestinal Disorders

This study was carried out in order to determine which plants and the ways in which these plants are used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders among the people of some districts of Izmir province, located in the WesternAnatolian part of Turkey. Field study was carried out over a period of approximately three years (2009-2011). During thefield trips, the information was collected through interviews, including various data obtained from local healers andtraditional medicine men, herbalists, shepherds, patients and elderly persons. In addition, informant consensus factor (Fic) values were calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. A total of 33 plants belonging to 25 families were documented for their therapeutic use against gastrointestinal disorders. Further analysis on the families of medicinal plants that are used against gastrointestinal disorders has shown that family Lamiaceae is represented by the highest number of species. Also, it was determined that gastrointestinal system ailments for which the folk medicinal plants are mostly used, are as follows: constipation, diarrhea, gastritis and ulcer, intestinal winds, nausea, gastralgia and indigestion.Informant consensus of medicinal plant usage within Izmir resulted in Fic values between 0.56 and 0.84 per gastrointestinaldisorder category. This study showed that plants are actively used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in the areaof Izmir.

- by Yunus Dogan
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- Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, İzmir, Gastrointestinal Disorders

The study deals with quantitative ethno-medicinal study with the aim of documenting the indigenous knowledge and practices of using plants for therapy of gastrointestinal disease among the Adi tribe of Eastern Himalaya. Ethno-medicinal data were documented from 120 informants by using semi-structured questionnaires. Documented data were evaluated using the quantitative ethno-botanical indices of relative frequency of citation (RFC) and percentage of respondents having knowledge (PRK). A total of 54 plant species belonging to 36 taxonomic families were recorded within the study area. Maximum contribution was reported from herbs (45%), subsequently followed by shrubs (33%), tree (15%) and climbers (7%). Among the different plant parts used, the leaves (41%) were most frequently used for the preparation of medicine. The paste (30%) was the most commonly followed mode of utilization, followed by decoction (27%). The study also revealed the potentiality of medicinal plants in treating about 15 different types of GI disorders. Plant species Clerodendrum colebrookianum reported with a high relative frequency of citation (RFC= 0.78) and percentage of respondents having knowledge (PRK= 77.50%), followed by Pouzolzia hirta (RFC = 0.74, PRK= 74.17%). Indigenous Adi tribe of this region has demonstrated remarkable knowledge on the medicinal plants used against GI disorders.

- by Tonlong Wangpan
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- Medicinal Plants, Ethnomedicine, Gastrointestinal, Gastrointestinal Disorders

The article presents a series of reflections on the theoretical perspectives of medical anthropology, mainly the interpretive, phenomenological, and critical perspectives, on the basis of our research project regarding the gastrointestinal problems suffered by Haitian families immigrants to Canada. The results
showed the polysemic nature of those problems, the negotiation of traditional explanations in contemporary society, and the fact that individual experience of such problems transcends the mind-body separation, given the involvement
of social relations. The political and economic conditions and the colonial legacy of that country influence the problem suffered by the children and their families. We argue for a complementary anthropological perspective that is sensitive and critical with respect to the macro-social context, the cultural
semiological codes, and the experiential dimension of health-illness processes.

Historia clásica de dolor postprandial en cuadrante superior derecho y epigastrio irradiado hacia la espalda y al hombro derecho, puede tener asociado nausea y vómitos. Diagnóstico: Ultrasonido es el método de elección para el diagnóstico de Litiasis vesicular. Debe evaluarse siempre las pruebas hepáticas y determinar si existe obstrucción de la vía biliar. Tratamiento: Colecistectomia laparoscópica electiva es el procedimiento de elección hoy en día COLECISTITIS AGUDA Causada por una obstrucción en el bacinete de la vesícula por un cálculo enclavado, evolucionando a Hidrocolecisto o Piocolecisto (más del 50% tienen bilis infectada). Historia clásica de dolor en Hipocondrio derecho. Dolor constante por debajo del reborde costal, Signo de Murphy positivo (dolor exacerbado a la palpación del HD en el momento de la inspiración provocando que el/la paciente detenga la respiración y le cause dolor) Diagnóstico : El ultrasonido es el método de elección, determina la presencia de litiasis, hidrocolecisto, y grosor de las paredes vesiculares. La centellografia de excreción hepática (disida) tiene una alta sensibilidad en colecistitis aguda. Tratamiento: Colecistectomia debe de ser realizada en las primeras 72 horas de iniciado el cuadro de colecistis, Cobertura antimicrobiana debe darse para gram negativos y anaerobios VIA BILIAR ! 1

- by Sergio Ralon
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- INJURY BILIARY DUCT, Gastrointestinal Disorders

Our objective was to measure amniotic fluid amino acid concentrations in pregnant women diagnosed as having fetuses with down syndrome in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Twenty pregnant women (n=20) who had fetuses with down syndrome detected by ultrasonography and karyotype analysis in the second trimester and 40 women who had abnormal triple screenings indicating an increased risk for down syndrome but had healthy fetuses (control group) were enrolled in the study.Amniotic fluid was obtained by amniocentesis. The chromosomal analysis of the control group was normal. Levels of free amino acids and non-essential amino acids were measured in amniotic fluid samples using EZ:fast kits (EZ:fast GC/FIDfree (physiological) amino acid kit) by gas chromatography (FocusGC AI 3000 Thermo Finnigan analyzer). The mean levels of essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,threonine, tryptophan, and valine) in amniotic fluid were found to be significantly higher in fetuses with down syndrome than inthe control group (P < 0.05). The detection of significantly higher essential amino acid concentrations in the amniotic fluid of fetuses with down syndrome than in healthy fetuses suggests amino acid deficiency may play a etiological role in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders of down syndrome.

- by Premier Publishers
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- Down Syndrome, Amniotic Fluid, Amino Acids, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Background: Disaccharidase (DS) deficiencies have been reported in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the relationship between duodenal inflammation and DS deficiency has not been evaluated outside of lactase deficiency. Methods: This study assessed DS levels and DS deficiencies in pediatric IBD patients who underwent endoscopy with assessment of DS activity. Records were reviewed for IBD subtype, pathology findings, and the results of DS analysis. Results: A total of 136 patients were identified. Overall, 89 (65.4%) patients had a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease (CD), 31 (22.8%) patients had a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC), and 16 (11.8%) patients had a diagnosis of indeterminant colitis. Lactase deficiency was identified in 55.9% of patients, followed by maltase deficiency (19.9%), sucrase and palatinase deficiency (14%), and pan-deficiency (12.5%). When analyzing only patients with CD, patients with duodenitis were more likely to exhibit sucrase def...

- by Chance Friesen
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) may be noticed in gastric carcinomas (GC), but their clinicopathological significance has not been yet explored. From a histological review of 400 cases of tubular/papillary adenocarcinomas, 24 cases of stage I–II gastric adenocarcinomas with intraglandular and stromal TAMs were identified. Their clinicopathological features were compared with 72 pT-matched as well as stage-matched control cases of adenocarcinomas without TAMs. TAMs present in GC cases were present either in glands or in neoplastic stroma, showing an immunoreactivity for CD68 and CD80; sometimes, they were organized in mature granulomas with occasional giant cells. Therefore, the stained TAMs were reminiscent of a specific polarized macrophage M1 phenotype; however, in any case of our cohort, no M2 phenotype macrophages were documented by CD 163 and CD 204 immunostainings. Statistically, no significant differences in age, gender, tumor location, size, and lymphovascular and perine...

- by Giuseppe Navarra
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- by Sara Altuna and +1
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- Oncology, Gastroenterology, Pancreatic Cancer, Colorectal cancer

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are essential mediators of cellular homeostasis by maintaining protein functionality and stability, and activating appropriate immune cells. HSP activity is influenced by a variety of factors including diet, microbial stimuli, environment and host immunity. The overexpression and down-regulation of HSPs is associated with various disease phenotypes, including the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease (CD). While the precise etiology of CD remains unclear, many of the putative triggers also influence HSP activity. The development of different CD phenotypes therefore may be a result of the disease-modifying behavior of the environmentally-regulated HSPs. Understanding the role of bacterial and endogenous HSPs in host homeostasis and disease will help elucidate the complex interplay of factors. Furthermore, discerning the function of HSPs in CD may lead to therapeutic developments that better reflect and respond to the gut environment.

Specific financial assistance for people with rare and intractable diseases is part of Japan’s public health system. This survey aimed to clarify the relationship between eligibility for this specific financial assistance and quality of life (QOL) among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Japan. A nationwide, web-based survey was conducted in Japan among 300 people with IBD. Questionnaire items covered socioeconomic characteristics and QOL, assessed with the five-dimension, five-level EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L). The percentage of respondents who were ineligible for specific financial assistance was 11.0% among those with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 34.0% among those with ulcerative colitis (UC). For those with CD, the median EQ-5D-5L utility weight did not differ significantly between the non-assistance and assistance groups (p = 0.2222). For those with UC, the median EQ-5D-5L utility weight was significantly higher in the non-assistance group than in the assistance group (p =...

- by Shinichi NOTO
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Background: the presence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most significant prognostic factors. Objective: systematically review the results of studies evaluating the benefit of adding bevacizumab to a normal chemotherapy regime in the survival of patients with colorectal-cancer liver metastasis (CRLM). Search methods: Pubmed and Google Scholar databases were searched for eligible articles (from inception up to the 2 April 2019). Inclusion criteria: studies including patients with CRLM receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; bevacizumab) as treatment, overall survival as an outcome; regarding language restrictions, only articles in English were accepted. Main results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. In 73% of these cases, chemotherapy with bevacizumab was an effective treatment modality for treating CRLM, and its administration significantly extended both overall survival (OS) and/or progression-free survival (PFS). Neverth...

- by Filipa Pinto-Ribeiro
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

The plant Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall Linn. (Family Apocynaceae) is commonly known in India as Kutaj. In therapeutics, the extract of the bark employed; it is also used as Kurchi bismuthiodide which consists of the bismuthiodides of the mixed alkaloids of the bark. An indigenous preparation of the plant known as ‘Kutjaristha’ is extensively used in treatment of gastrointestinal disorder like diarrhea and dysentery. There is a large amount of literature on Kutaj alkaloids, yet their chemicals and therapeutic aspects have not been exhaustively surveyed. The present review is an attempt to survey and critically review the large amount of work that has been carried out so for on the pharmacognostical, phytochemical and biological activity of H. antidysenterica.

Gastrointestinal (GI) tumors account for a quarter of all the cancer burden and a third of the global cancer-related mortality. Among them, some cancers retain a dismal prognosis; therefore, newer and innovative therapies are urgently needed in priority disease areas of high-unmet medical need. In this context, HER2 could be a relevant prognostic and predictive biomarker acting as a target for specific drugs. However, if the role of HER2 has been object of investigation for several years in gastric cancer, it is not well established in other GI malignancies. The aim of this narrative review was to portray the current landscape of the potential role of HER2 as a predictive biomarker for GI tumors beyond gastric cancer. In colon cancer, the benefit from anti-HER2 therapies is less clear than in gastric neoplasms for the lack of controlled studies. Pancreatic, biliary tract adenocarcinomas and hepatocarcinoma may derive a less clear clinical benefit by using anti-HER2 agents in HER2 po...

- by Sara Altuna
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- Oncology, Gastroenterology, Medicine, Pancreatic Cancer

Thoracic high-dose radiation therapy (RT) for cancer has been associated with early and late cardiac toxicity. To assess altered rates of cardiomyocyte cell death due to RT we monitored changes in cardiomyocyte-specific, cell-free methylated DNA (cfDNA) shed into the circulation. Eleven patients with distal esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation to 50.4 Gy (RT) and concurrent carboplatin and paclitaxel were enrolled. Subjects underwent fasting blood draws prior to the initiation and after completion of RT as well as 4–6 months following RT. An island of six unmethylated CpGs in the FAM101A locus was used to identify cardiomyocyte-specific cfDNA in serum. After bisulfite treatment this specific cfDNA was quantified by amplicon sequencing at a depth of >35,000 reads/molecule. Cardiomyocyte-specific cfDNA was detectable before RT in the majority of patient samples and showed some distinct changes during the course of treatment and recovery. We propose that patient...

- by Megan Barefoot
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- Medicine, Gastrointestinal Disorders

Eosinophilic esophagitis is characterized by dysphagia with esophageal eosinophilia. We sought to determine if intrabolus pressure measurements on high-resolution manometry had any correlation with dysphagia improvement following standard therapy for patients with fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis. Consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled at our swallowing center. Dysphagia scores, esophageal eosinophil counts, endoscopic reference scores, and intrabolus pressure measurements were compared at baseline and following therapy with 8 weeks of a proton-pump inhibitor and serial bougie dilation to a luminal diameter of 17 mm. Five patients were included in the study. The median age was 38 years. The average endoscopic reference score improved from 5.0 to 2.4 (p = 0.007). The mean esophageal diameter improved from 10.8 mm to 17.2 mm (p = 0.001). Dysphagia severity scores improved from a mean value of 34.2 to 10.8 (p = 0.004). Mucosal eosinophilia had no correlation with dyspha...

- by Ambuj Kumar
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- Esophageal Disorders, Esophageal Cancer, Gastrointestinal Disorders

Background: Organ preservation in the treatment of rectal cancer has seen an increase in interest. Clinical complete response (cCR) after high-dose chemoradiotherapy (CRT) allows for non-surgical management (NSM), but the selection of patients is challenging and standard clinical staging insufficient. MicroRNA-21-5p (miR-21) is ubiquitously upregulated in cancer and has been associated with treatment response in rectal cancer treated with standard preoperative CRT. The aim of the present study was to investigate this association in low rectal cancer treated in the NSM setting. Methods: Forty-eight patients from our single-arm phase II trial (NCT00952926) were eligible for analysis. All patients had resectable T2 or T3, N0–N1 low adenocarcinoma and received intensity-modulated radiotherapy plus brachytherapy boost and oral tegafur–uracil. Patients with cCR six weeks after end of treatment assessed by clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and biopsy, were referred to obser...

- by Anders Jakobsen
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Despite the recognized benefits of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, uptake is still suboptimal in many countries. In addressing this issue, one important element that has not received sufficient attention is population preference. Our review provides a comprehensive summary of the up-to-date evidence relative to this topic. Four OVID databases were searched: Ovid MEDLINE® ALL, Biological s, CAB Abstracts, and Global Health. Among the 742 articles generated, 154 full texts were selected for a more thorough evaluation based on predefined inclusion criteria. Finally, 83 studies were included in our review. The general population preferred either colonoscopy as the most accurate test, or fecal occult blood test (FOBT) as the least invasive for CRC screening. The emerging blood test (SEPT9) and capsule colonoscopy (nanopill), with the potential to overcome the pitfalls of the available techniques, were also favored. Gender, age, race, screening experience, education and beliefs, the pe...

- by Guido Hal
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer, and the fourth most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is the third most common type of cancer in both sexes. Since there is scanty research on the risk factors associated with CRC, this study was conducted to determine the correlation between risk factors, including associated comorbid conditions, and CRC in Trinidad. A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst diagnosed CRC patients (>18 years) using a pre-tested questionnaire consisting of sections on demographic data, lifestyle before diagnosis, quality of life, and depression status. Additional information such as recurrence of cancer, Body Mass Index (BMI), Hypertension (HT), blood glucose levels and family history of cancer were collected from the medical records. Of the total participants, the majority were males (58%), and the mean age of diagnosis in both sexes was 65 years. The retrospective chart review showed that 68% were ...

- by DeAngello Saunders
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Alterations in the mismatch repair (MMR) system result in genomic instability, neoantigen production, and immune response in cancer. There is evidence that gastroesophageal tumors with MMR deficiency may be susceptible to immune-checkpoint inhibitors treatment, especially in those presenting at advanced-stage disease. Although a number of biomarkers have been developed in histology-agnostic settings to assess MMR status, there is evidence that a tumor-specific testing approach would improve the selection of patients for immunotherapy. However, no testing methods have been developed specifically for gastroesophageal cancers so far. Here, we discuss the state of the art, current advances, and future perspectives of MMR-related biomarkers’ biologic and clinical role in gastroesophageal cancers.

- by Nicola Fusco
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

The etiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is unknown. I present a case which may be indicative of a causal link between Bartonella infection and PSC. The patient presented with complaints of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. A colonoscopy demonstrated chronic inflammation and changes consistent with ulcerative colitis. Routine laboratory studies revealed elevated liver function tests (LFTs); ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of PSC. Bartonella serology was positive. It is established that Bartonella infection is associated with both gastrointestinal inflammation and autoimmunity; indeed, there is an animal model for Bartonella-induced PSC. Bartonella is susceptible to treatment with vancomycin and there are case reports and small series that demonstrate that PSC responds to treatment with oral vancomycin. Because of this, it is postulated that at least some cases of PSC may be associated with Bartonella infection. The patient in thi...

- by Daniel Kinderlehrer
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders

Many drugs affect GI transit by acting as agonists or antagonists at specific cellular receptors, such as
cholinergic, adrenergic, serotonergic, opioidergic and calcium channels. Atropine is frequently used as a tool for
identifying mechanisms involving cholinergic pathway in evaluation of GI transit time. The present study was aim at to
evaluate the influence to Murraya koenigii on GI transit time through involvement of cholinergic systems/mechanisms.
Ethanolic and petroleum ether extract of MKL at the doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg p.o. administered 15 hrs fasted Swiss
albino male mice. 4% charcoal meal was administered (10ml/kg p.o.) 1 hr after the drug treatments and 20 min after all
the animals were dissected for determination of the intestinal transit. For exploration of the cholinergic mechanisms
atropine (1mg/kg i.p.) was administered 30 min prior administration of drug. The results of study indicate that MKL
accelerate intestinal transit in normal mice. Atropine inhibits the intestinal transit by 33.27% in normal mice. The
delaying in the GI transit time by atropine involve cholinergic pathway and influence of atropine was inhibited by MKL.
In presence of MKL, atropine could able produce only 20 to 22 % inhibitions of intestinal transit, indicates a possibility
that MKL could partly produce acceleratory effect by some other pathways in addition to cholinergic pathway as
atropine could not completely prevent the acceleratory effect of MKL.

- by Sachin Tembhurne
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- Gastrointestinal Disorders