Slippery Elm

Numerous popular "detoxification" supplements claim to promote the removal of harmful compounds from the body, thereby alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms, improving body composition, and enhancing overall health. The present double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to examine the effects of a purported detoxification supplement in healthy young adult females. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a multi-ingredient supplement or placebo daily for four weeks. The supplement contained 1,350 mg/serving of a proprietary blend of papaya leaf, cascara sagrada bark, slippery elm bark, peppermint leaf, red raspberry leaf, fenugreek seed, ginger root, and senna leaf. Body composition, waist circumferences, symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, and blood safety markers were evaluated before and after supplementation. Twenty-two participants completed the study, and data were analyzed via two-way mixed ANOVA and t tests. No beneficial or harmful effects of supplementation were found for body composition, waist circumference, gastrointestinal symptoms, or blood markers. These results indicate that consuming a commercially available dietary supplement that purportedly provides detoxification and body composition benefits is apparently safe in healthy young adult females but does not provide any beneficial effects for body composition or gastrointestinal symptoms.

Traditional Iranian medicine is usually used for both prevention and relief of cold and flu symptoms in China, Iran, and many other Asian countries all over the world. There are 4 kinds of influenza viruses. Unlike type B, which may cause seasonal epidemics, type A viruses can cause pandemics, and influenza C may lead to mild human infection with little public health effects. A literature review was done by using multiple databases such as ISI Web of knowledge, PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. The most notable antiviral medicinal plants for flu and cold are honeysuckle flowers, thyme leaf, green chiretta, andrographis, peppermint oil and leaf and calendula. The most important expectorant medicinal plants for cold and flu are snake root, tulsi, licorice root, slippery elm, clove, and sage leaf. Recommended immunostimulant medicinal plants for cold and flu are eucalyptus, Echinacea root, ginseng, garlic, slippery elm, marshmallow, Usnea lichen, Isatis root, ginger root, and myrrh resin. Iranian traditional medicine, which is one of the oldest schools of traditional medicine, is one of the main concepts of disease and health, and it can be considered as an important complementary and alternative medicine, as in some cases, modern medicine has many side effects, low efficiency, and high costs. Medicinal plants and herbs, which are included in many traditional systems, have significant and promising bioactive components in organic life.

Tree and shrub barks have been used as folk medicine by numerous cultures across the globe for millennia, for a variety of indications, including as vasorelaxants and antispasmodics. Here, using electrophysiology and myography, we discovered that the KCNQ5 voltage-gated potassium channel mediates vascular smooth muscle relaxant effects of barks used in Native American folk medicine. Bark extracts (1%) from Birch, Cramp Bark, Slippery Elm, White Oak, Red Willow, White Willow, and Wild Cherry each strongly activated KCNQ5 expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Testing of a subset including both the most and the least efficacious extracts revealed that Red Willow, White Willow, and White Oak KCNQ-dependently relaxed rat mesenteric arteries; in contrast, Black Haw bark neither activated KCNQ5 nor induced vasorelaxation. Two compounds common to the active barks (gallic acid and tannic acid) had similarly potent and efficacious effects on both KCNQ5 activation and vascular relaxation, and this together with KCNQ5 modulation by other tannins provides a molecular basis for smooth muscle relaxation effects of Native American folk medicine bark extracts. © 2022 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Gastrointestinal (GI) problems affect half of Western populations. Symptoms can vary from frequent reflux to irritable bowel syndrome. The Nutrition Care (NC) Gut Relief Formula contains a combination of herbs and nutrients including curcumin, Aloe vera, slippery elm, guar gum, pectin, peppermint oil, and glutamine shown to benefit the GI system. The 16-week pre-post study tested the hypothesis that the NC Gut Relief Formula would be tolerable and effective in improving GI symptoms and gut health in adults with digestive disorders. A total of 43 participants completed the study. After a control phase, participants took 5 g/d and then 10 g/d of the formula for 4 weeks. GI symptoms and GI health were assessed by a series of validated questionnaires, for example, Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire, Bristol Stool Chart, Birmingham IBS Symptom Questionnaire, and by intestinal permeability and gut microbiota profile. The NC Gut Relief Formula significantly improved the frequency and severity of upper and lower GI symptoms by 60%-80%, including indigestion, heartburn, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain, and troublesome flatulence, and significantly improved physical functioning, energy levels, mood, and sleep by 60%-80%. All participants with normal stool, 90% with hard stool, and 66% with soft stool recovered from intestinal permeability, evident by normal lactulose to mannitol ratios. The NC Gut Relief Formula generally improved microbial profile, with a marked increase in Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Almost half of the participants with upper GI symptoms taking proton pump inhibitors for heartburn no longer required proton pump inhibitors at the end of the study. A third of participants were able to reintroduce food triggers, such as fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols garlic, onion, and beans, or reflux-causing acidic/spicy foods, for example, citrus, tomato, and caffeine, in their diet after 3 months without symptom aggravation. The NC Gut Relief Formula significantly improved GI symptoms and associated quality of life over 3 months while reducing intestinal permeability, improving the

Background: There is a growing interest in medicinal plants which have been traditionally used for the treatment of human infections. This study assessed 14 ethanol extracts (EEs) on bacterial growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus pyogenes. Methods: Constituent major phytochemicals in the extracts were identified using ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Micro-broth dilution and time-kill assays were used to determine antibacterial activities. Anti-biofilm activities were studied using MTT assay, and morphology of biofilms was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to visualize the ultra-cross section structure of bacteria treated with efficacious extracts. Results: Licorice root, purple coneflower flower, purple coneflower stem, sage leaves and slippery elm inner bark EEs were the most effective, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of 62.5 μg/mL and 125 μg/mL, respectively. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) of extracts ranged from 31.5⁻250 μg/mL. Morphological changes were observed in treated biofilms compared to the untreated. The four most effective extracts exhibited the ability to induce degradation of bacterial cell wall and disintegration of the plasma membrane. Conclusion: We suggest that EEs of sage leaf and purple coneflower flower are promising candidates to be further investigated for developing alternative natural therapies for the management of streptococcal pharyngitis.

Black walnut (Juglans nigra), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), and white ash (Fraxinus americana) trees were evaluated as potential archives of past uranium (U) contamination. Like other metals, U mobility in annual growth rings of trees is dependent on the tree species. Uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions (masses 234, 235, 236, and 238) were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry to test the efficacy of using tree rings to retroactively monitor U pollution from the FFMPC, a U purification facility operating from 1951 to 1989. This study found non-natural U (depleted U and detectable 236U) in growth rings of all three tree species that pre-dated the start of operations at FFMPC and compositional trends that did not correspond with known contamination events. Therefore, the annual growth rings of these tree species cannot be used to reliably monitor the chronology of U contamination.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to assess the effects and tolerability of two novel natural medicine formulations in improving bowel habit and abdominal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The DA-IBS formula was designed to treat diarrhea-predominant and alternating bowel habit IBS, and the C-IBS formula was designed to treat constipation-predominant IBS. DESIGN: This was a two arm, open-label, uncontrolled pilot study. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Subjects were recruited from the greater Lismore area (NSW, Australia) in 2001. SUBJECTS: The study included 31 patients who fulfilled the Rome II criteria for IBS. Twenty-one (21) patients were classified as suffering from diarrhea-predominant or alternating bowel habit IBS and 10 patients were classified with constipation-predominant IBS. INTERVENTIONS: The DA-IBS formula consisted of a mixture of dried, powdered bilberry fruit, slippery elm bark, agrimony aerial parts, and cinnamon quills. The C-IBS formula consisted of a mixture of dried powdered slippery elm bark, lactulose, oat bran, and licorice root. The aim of each formula was to normalize stool frequency and stool consistency. RESULTS: Ingestion of the DA-IBS formula was associated with a small, but significant increase in bowel movement frequency (p = 0.027). Subjects in the DA-IBS group also experienced reductions in straining (p = 0.004), abdominal pain (p = 0.006), bloating (p < 0.0001), flatulence (p = 0.0001), and global IBS symptoms (p = 0.002) during the treatment phase of the trial. Subjects in the C-IBS group experienced a 20% increase in bowel movement frequency (p = 0.016) and significant reductions in straining (p < 0.0001), abdominal pain (p = 0.032), bloating (p = 0.034), and global IBS symptom severity (p = 0.0005), as well as improvements in stool consistency (p < 0.0001). Both formulas were well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: The DA-IBS formula was not effective in improving bowel habit in individuals with diarrhea-predominant or alternating bowel habit IBS, although it did significantly improve a number of IBS symptoms. The C-IBS formula significantly improved both bowel habit and IBS symptoms in patients with constipation-predomin

There is growing use of anticancer complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) worldwide. The purpose of the current study is to assess a sizeable variety of natural and plant sources of diverse origin, to ascertain prospective research directives for cancer treatment and potential new chemotherapy drug sources. In this study, 374 natural extracts (10 microg/mL-5 mg/mL) were evaluated for dose-dependent tumoricidal effects using immortal neuroblastoma of spontaneous malignant origin. The findings indicate no pattern of tumoricidal effects by diverse plants with similar families/genus under the classes Pinopsida, Equisetopsida, Lycopodiosida, Filicosida, Liliopsida Monocotyledons or Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons. The results indicate that many of the most commonly used CAMs exhibited relatively weak tumoricidal effects including cats claw, astragalus, ginseng, echinacea, mistletoe, milk thistle, slippery elm, cayenne, chamomile, don quai, meadowsweet, motherwort and shepherd's purse. The data demonstrate that the most potent plant extracts were randomly dispersed within the plantae kingdom (LC(50) = 31-490 microg/mL) in order of the lowest LC(50) Dioscorea villosa (Dioscoreaceae) > Sanguinaria canadensis (Papaveraceae) > Dipsacus asper (Dipsacaceae) > Populus balsamifera (Salicaceae) > Boswellia carteri (Burseraceae) > Cyamopsis psoralioides (Fabaceae) > Rhamnus cathartica (Rhamnaceae) > Larrea tridentate (Zygophyllaceae) > Dichroa febrifuga (Hydrangeaceae) > Batschia canescens (Boraginaceae) > Kochia scoparia (Chenopodiaceae) > Solanum xanthocarpum (Solanaceae) > Opoponax chironium (Umbelliferae) > Caulophyllum thalictroides (Berberidaceae) > Dryopteris crassirhizoma (Dryopteridaceae) > Garcinia cambogia (Clusiaceae) > Vitex agnus-castus (Verbenaceae) > Calamus draco (Arecaceae). These findings show tumoricidal effect by extracts of wild yam root, bloodroot, teasel root, bakuchi seed, dichroa root, kanta kari, garcinia fruit, mace, dragons blood and the biblically referenced herbs: balm of gilead bud, frankincense and myrrh gum. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and medical expenditures among women in Canada. Essiac (Resperin Canada Limited, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), a blend of at least four herbs (burdock root [Arctium lappa], Indian rhubarb [Rheum palmatum], sheep sorrel [Rumex acetosella], and the inner bark of slippery elm [Ulmus fulva or U. rubra]), has become one of the more popular herbal remedies for breast-cancer treatment, secondary prevention, improving quality of life, and controlling negative side-effects of conventional breast-cancer treatment. OBJECTIVES: Our primary objective was to determine the difference in health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), as assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast Cancer Version, between women who are new Essiac users (since breast cancer diagnosis) and those who have never used Essiac. Secondary endpoints included differences in depression, anxiety, fatigue, rate of adverse events, and prevalence of complications or benefits associated with Essiac during standard breast-cancer treatment. Additionally, we described the pattern of use of Essiac in this cohort of women. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in 510 women, randomly chosen from the Ontario Cancer Tumour Registry, with a diagnosis of primary breast cancer in 2003. RESULTS: With the exception changes in a Physical well-being subscale and a relationship with doctor subscale, Essiac did not have a significant effect on HR-QOL or mood states. Even for Physical well-being and relationship with doctor, Essiac seemed to have a negative effect, with Essiac users doing worse than the non-Essiac users. This might be attributed to the fact that the group of users comprised younger women with more advanced stages of breast cancer, and both of these subgroups of patients have been shown to be at a significantly increased risk for negative mood states and/or a decreased sense of well-being. The women were taking low doses (total daily dose 43.6 +/- 30.8 mL) of Essiac that corresponded to the label directions found on most Essiac products. Friends were the most common source of information, and most women were taking Essiac t

This research evaluated five case studies of patients with psoriasis following a dietary regimen. There is no cure for psoriasis and the multiple treatments currently available only attempt to reduce the severity of symptoms. Treatments range from topical applications, systemic therapies, and phototherapy; while some are effective, many are associated with significant adverse effects. There is a need for effective, affordable therapies with fewer side effects that address the causes of the disorder. Evaluation consisted of a study group of five patients diagnosed with chronic plaque psoriasis (two men and three women, average age 52 years; range 40-68 years) attending a 10-day, live-in program during which a physician assessed psoriasis symptoms and bowel permeability. Subjects were then instructed on continuing the therapy protocol at home for six months. The dietary protocol, based on Edgar Cayce readings, included a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, small amounts of protein from fish and fowl, fiber supplements, olive oil, and avoidance of red meat, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates. Saffron tea and slippery elm bark water were consumed daily. The five psoriasis cases, ranging from mild to severe at the study onset, improved on all measured outcomes over a six-month period when measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (average pre- and post-test scores were 18.2 and 8.7, respectively), the Psoriasis Severity Scale (PSS) (average pre- and post-test scores were 14.6 and 5.4, respectively), and the lactulose/mannitol test of intestinal permeability (average pre- and post-test scores were 0.066 to 0.026, respectively). These results suggest a dietary regimen based on Edgar Cayce's readings may be an effective medical nutrition therapy for the complementary treatment of psoriasis; however, further research is warranted to confirm these results.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe changes in anthropometric measurements, body composition, blood pressure, lipid profile, and testosterone following a low-energy-density dietary intervention plus regimented supplementation program. METHODS: The study design was a pre-post intervention design without a control group. Normal participants were recruited from the faculty, staff, students, and community members from a chiropractic college to participate in a 21-day weight loss program. All participants (n = 49; 36 women, 13 men; 31 ± 10.3 years of age) received freshly prepared mostly vegan meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) that included 1200 to 1400 daily calories (5020.8 to 5857.6 J) for the women and 1600 to 1800 (6694.4 to 7531.2 J) daily calories for the men. Nutritional supplements containing enzymes that were intended to facilitate digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, increase metabolic rate, and mediate inflammatory processes were consumed 30 minutes before each meal. The regimented supplementation program included once-daily supplementation with a green drink that contained alfalfa, wheatgrass, apple cider vinegar, and fulvic acid throughout the study period. A cleanse supplementation containing magnesium, chia, flaxseed, lemon, camu camu, cat's claw, bentonite clay, tumeric, pau d'arco, chanca piedra, stevia, zeolite clay, slippery elm, garlic, ginger, peppermint, aloe, citrus bioflavonoids, and fulvic acid was added before each meal during week 2. During week 3, the cleanse supplementation was replaced with probiotic and prebiotic supplementation. RESULTS: Multiple paired t tests detected clinically meaningful reductions in weight (- 8.7 ± 5.54 lb) (- 3.9 ± 2.5 kg), total cholesterol (- 30.0 ± 29.77 mg/dL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (- 21.0 ± 25.20 mg/dL) (P < .05). There was a pre-post intervention increase in testosterone for men (111.0 ± 121.13 ng/dL, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss and improvements in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels occurred after a low-energy-density dietary intervention plus regimented supplementation program.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Popular remedies are of ongoing interest to patients experiencing common esophageal symptoms, particularly as typical pharmacologic interventions have been subject to increased scrutiny. Herein we summarize the available data regarding potential risks and benefits of several such remedies. RECENT FINDINGS: With emphasis on reflux and non-cardiac chest pain, research is ongoing into the clinical utility and diverse physiologic mechanisms underlying a variety of complementary and alternative modalities, including dietary manipulation, apple cider vinegar, melatonin, acupuncture, and various herbal products (rikkunshito, STW 5, slippery elm, licorice, and peppermint oil, among others). A substantial gap persists between anecdotal and empirical understandings of the majority of non-pharmacologic remedies for esophageal symptoms. This landscape of popular treatments nevertheless raises several interesting mechanistic hypotheses and compelling opportunities for future research.

INTRODUCTION: Commercially available herbal mixture FE, a proprietary natural health product manufactured by Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd (Flora), is a unique North American traditional herbal product. FE is a chemically complex mixture of eight herbs and has not been subjected to phytochemical analysis. OBJECTIVE: To develop analytical methods to undertake detailed phytochemical analyses of FE, and its eight contributing herbs, including burdock (Arctium lappa L.), sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella L.), Turkish rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L.), slippery elm Muhl. (Ulmus rubra), watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus L.) and kelp (Laminaria digitata Lmx.). METHODOLOGY: The identification was undertaken by a combination of reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation-mass selective detection (RP-HPLC-DAD-APCI-MSD) analysis and phenolics metabolomic library matching. RESULTS: New separation methods facilitated the identification of 43 markers in the individual herbs which constitute FE. Sixteen markers could be identified in FE originating from four contributing herbs including four caffeoyl quinic acids, three dicaffeoyl quinic acids and two caffeic acid derivatives from A. lappa, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin, five apigenin glycosides and apigenin from R. acetocella and N. officinale and sissostrin from T. pretense. A validated method for quantitative determination of three markers is reported with good intraday, interday and interoperator repeatability using a reliable alcohol based extraction technique. CONCLUSION: FE and its contributing herbs predominantly contain phenolics. This methodology can be applied to further develop full-scale validation of this product.

1. Fungal Syst Evol. 2024 Jun;13:183-440. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2024.13.11. Epub 2024 Jun 28. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1614-1696. Crous PW(1)(2), Jurjević Ž(3), Balashov S(3), De la Peña-Lastra S(4), Mateos A(5), Pinruan U(6), Rigueiro-Rodríguez A(4), Osieck ER(7), Altés A(8), Czachura P(9), Esteve-Raventós F(8), Gunaseelan S(10), Kaliyaperumal M(10), Larsson E(11), Luangsa-Ard JJ(6), Moreno G(8), Pancorbo F(12), Piątek M(9), Sommai S(6), Somrithipol S(6), Asif M(13), Delgado G(14), Flakus A(9), Illescas T(15), Kezo K(10), Khamsuntorn P(6), Kubátová A(16), Labuda R(17), Lavoise C(18), Lebel T(19), Lueangjaroenkit P(20)(21), Maciá-Vicente JG(22), Paz A(18), Saba M(13), Shivas RG(23), Tan YP(24), Wingfield MJ(2), Aas T(25), Abramczyk B(26), Ainsworth AM(27), Akulov A(28), Alvarado P(29), Armada F(30), Assyov B(31), Avchar R(32), Avesani M(33), Bezerra JL(34), Bhat JD(35), Bilański P(36), Bily DS(37), Boccardo F(38), Bozok F(39), Campos JC(40), Chaimongkol S(6)(41), Chellappan N(10), Costa MM(1), Dalecká M(42)(43), Darmostuk V(9), Daskalopoulos V(44), Dearnaley J(23)(45), Dentinger BTM(46), De Silva NI(47), Dhotre D(32), Carlavilla JR(8), Doungsa-Ard C(48), Dovana F(49), Erhard A(3), Ferro LO(50), Gallegos SC(51)(52), Giles CE(53), Gore G(54), Gorfer M(55), Guard FE(56), Hanson SÅ(57), Haridev P(58), Jankowiak R(36), Jeffers SN(53), Kandemir H(1), Karich A(59), Kisło K(60), Kiss L(23), Krisai-Greilhuber I(61), Latha KPD(58), Lorenzini M(62), Lumyong S(47), Manimohan P(58), Manjón JL(8), Maula F(13), Mazur E(9), Mesquita NLS(63), Młynek K(64), Mongkolsamrit S(6), Morán P(65), Murugadoss R(10), Nagarajan M(10), Nalumpang S(66), Noisripoom W(6), Nosalj S(67), Novaes QS(63), Nowak M(26), Pawłowska J(26)(68), Peiger M(69), Pereira OL(70), Pinto A(3), Plaza M(71), Polemis E(44), Polhorský A(72), Ramos DO(70), Raza M(73), Rivas-Ferreiro M(27)(65), Rodriguez-Flakus P(9), Ruszkiewicz-Michalska M(74), Sánchez A(8), Santos A(63), Schüller A(75), Scott PA(76), Şen I(77), Shelke D(78), Śliwa L(9), Solheim H(25), Sonawane H(54), Strašiftáková D(79), Stryjak-Bogacka M(9), Sudsanguan M(66), Suwannarach N(47), Suz LM(27), Syme K(80), Taşkın H(81),

The impact of yogurts made with starter culture bacteria (L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus) and supplemented with ingredients (maitake mushrooms, quercetin, L-glutamine, slippery elm bark, licorice root, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, zinc orotate, and marshmallow root) that can help treat leaky gut were investigated using the Caco-2 cell monolayer as a measure of intestinal barrier dysfunction. Milk from the same source was equally dispersed into nine pails, and the eight ingredients were randomly allocated to the eight pails. The control had no ingredients. The Caco-2 cells were treated with isoflavone genistein (negative control) and growth media (positive control). Inflammation was stimulated using an inflammatory cocktail of cytokines (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β) and lipopolysaccharide. The yogurt without ingredients (control yogurt) was compared to the yogurt treatments (yogurts with ingredients) that help treat leaky gut. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and paracellular permeability were measured to evaluate the integrity of the Caco-2 monolayer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunofluorescence microscopy (IM), and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTQPCR) were applied to measure the integrity of tight junction proteins. The yogurts were subjected to gastric and intestinal digestion, and TEER was record

Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) is an invasive wood borer pest that has caused considerable damage to forests. Gut bacteria are of great importance in the biology and ecology of herbivores, especially in growth and adaptation; however, change in the gut bacterial community of this pest feeding on different hosts is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the gut bacterial communities of A. glabripennis larvae fed on different preferred hosts, Salix matsudana and Ulmus pumila, using 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology. A total of 15 phyla, 25 classes, 65 orders, 114 families, 188 genera, and 170 species were annotated in the gut of A. glabripennis larvae fed on S. matsudana or U. pumila using a 97% similarity cutoff level. The dominant phyla were Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and the core dominant genera were Enterococcus, Gibbsiella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella. There was significantly higher alpha diversity in the U. pumila group than in the S. matsudana group, and principal co-ordinate analysis showed significant differences in gut bacterial communities between the two groups. The genera with significant abundance differences between the two groups were Gibbsiella, Enterobacter, Leuconostoc, Rhodobacter, TM7a, norank, Rhodobacter, and Aurantisolimonas, indicating that the abundance of larval gut bacteria was affected by feeding on different hosts. Further network diagrams showed that the complexity of the network structure and the modularity were higher in the U. pumila group

Consumers are becoming aware of functional ingredients such as medicinal herbs, polyphenols, mushrooms, amino acids, proteins, and probiotics more than ever before. Like yogurt and its probiotics, L-glutamine, quercetin, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, licorice root, maitake mushrooms, and zinc orotate have demonstrated health benefits through gut microbiota. The impact of these ingredients on yogurt starter culture bacteria characteristics is not well known. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of these ingredients on the probiotic characteristics, tolerance to gastric juices and lysozyme, protease activity, and viability of Streptococcus thermophilus STI-06 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB-12. Acid tolerance was determined at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min of incubation, whereas bile tolerance was analyzed at 0, 4, and 8 h. The microbial growth was determined at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 h of incubation, while protease activity was evaluated at 0, 12, and 24 h. The application of marshmallow root, licorice root, and slippery elm bark improved bile tolerance and acid tolerance of S. thermophilus. These ingredients did not impact the bile tolerance, acid tolerance, and simulated gastric juice tolerance characteristics of L. bulgaricus over 8 h and 120 min (respectively) of incubation. Similarly, the growth of S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus was not affected by any of these functional ingredients. The application of marshmallow root, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and maitake mushroom significantly increased the protease activity of S. thermophilus

l-Glutamine, quercetin, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, licorice root, maitake mushrooms, and zinc orotate have been reported to help treat leaky gut. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of these functional ingredients on the physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of yogurt. The milk from same source was equally divided into 9 pails and the 8 ingredients were randomly assigned to the 8 pails. The control had no ingredient. Milk was fermented to yogurt. The pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, viscosity, color (L*, a*, b*, C*, and h*), Streptococcus thermophilus counts, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus counts of yogurts were determined on d 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42, whereas coliform counts, yeast and mold counts, and rheological characteristics were determined on d 1 and 42. The sensory study was performed on d 3 and particle size of the functional ingredients (powder form) was also determined. When compared with control, the incorporation of slippery elm bark into yogurts led to less syneresis. l-Glutamine increased pH and n' values (relaxation exponent derived from G') and lowered titratable acidity values. N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine incorporation resulted in higher n' and lower titratable acidity values, whereas maitake mushroom led to lower n' values. Incorporating quercetin increased the growth of L. bulgaricus. Adding maitake mushrooms increased the growth of S. thermophilus but lowered apparent viscosity values, whereas quercetin decreased its S. thermophilus counts. Quercetin decreased L* and a* values but increa

The stem and root bark of Ulmus macrocarpa Hance has been used as traditional pharmacological agent against inflammation related disorders. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of Ulmus macrocarpa Hance extract (UME) on human gut microbiota. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted in healthy adults. The study subjects were given 500 mg/day of UME or placebo orally for 4 weeks. Eighty fecal samples were collected at baseline and 4 weeks of UME or placebo intervention. The gut microbiota variation was evaluated by 16S rRNA profiling. The microbial response was highly personalized, and no statistically significant differences was observed in both species richness and abundance. The number of bacterial species identified in study subjects ranged from 86 to 182 species. The analysis for taxonomical changes revealed an increase in Eubacterium ventriosum, Blautia faecis, Ruminococcus gnavus in the UME group. Functional enrichment of bacterial genes showed an increase in primary and secondary bile acid biosynthesis in UME group. Having known from previous studies Eubacterium regulated bile acid homeostasis in protecting gut microbial architecture and immunity, we suggest that UME supplementation might enhance host immunity by modulating gut microbiota. This is the first stage study and forthcoming clinical studies with larger participants are needed to confirm these findings. © 2021. The Microbiological Society of Korea.

The bark of Ulmus parvifolia Jacq. (UP) was traditionally used as a diuretic and to treat intestinal inflammation. With modern evidence of the correlation of diuretics, gut inflammation, and obesity, our study has shown the antiobesity effects of the bark of UP. UP treatment reduced lipid production and adipogenic genes in vitro. In vivo studies revealed that UP 100 mg/kg and UP 300 mg/kg treatment significantly reduced mouse weight without reducing food intake, indicating increased energy expenditure. UP significantly reduced the weight of epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissue and decreased liver weight. Histological analysis revealed improvement in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and epididymal white adipose tissue hypertrophy induced by a HFD. Real-Time PCR of epididymal adipose tissue revealed significant increases of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) expression after UP 300 mg/kg treatments. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein α (AMPKα) was increased, while phosphoryl

INTRODUCTION: The prebiotic potential of herbal medicines has been scarcely studied. METHODS: The authors therefore used anaerobic human fecal cultivation to investigate whether three herbal medicines commonly used in gastrointestinal health and disease in Ayurveda alter the growth and abundance of specific bacterial species. RESULTS: Profiling of cultures supplemented with Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ulmus rubra, or triphala formulation by 16S rDNA sequencing revealed profound changes in diverse taxa in human gut microbiota. Principal coordinate analysis highlights that each herbal medicine drives the formation of unique microbial communities. The relative abundance of approximately one-third of the 299 species profiled was altered by all 3 medicines, whereas additional species displayed herb-specific alterations. Herb supplementation increased the abundance of many bacteria known to promote human health, including Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Bacteroides spp. Herb supplementation resulted in the reduced relative abundance of many species, including potential pathogens such as Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Herbal medicines induced blooms of butyrate- and propionate-producing species. U. rubra and triphala significantly increased the relative abundance of butyrat