Gut Detox Formula
CLINICAL STUDIES ON THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS:
Zeolite Clinoptilolite
Zeolite Clinoptilolite: Therapeutic Virtues of an Ancient Mineral
Abstract
Zeolites are porous minerals with high absorbency and ion-exchange capacity. Their molecular structure is a dense network of AlO4 and SiO4 that generates cavities where water and other polar molecules or ions are inserted/exchanged. Even though there are several synthetic or natural occurring species of zeolites, the most widespread and studied is the naturally occurring zeolite clinoptilolite (ZC). ZC is an excellent detoxifying, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. As a result, it is been used in many industrial applications ranging from environmental remediation to oral applications/supplementation in vivo in humans as food supplements or medical devices. Moreover, the modification as micronization of ZC (M-ZC) or tribo mechanically activated zeolite clinoptilolite (TMAZ) or furthermore as double tribo mechanically activated zeolite clinoptilolite (PMA-ZC) allows improving its benefits in preclinical and clinical models. Despite its extensive use, many underlying action mechanisms of ZC in its natural or modified forms are still unclear, especially in humans. The main aim of this review is to shed light on the geochemical aspects and therapeutic potentials of ZC with a vision of endorsing further preclinical and clinical research on zeolites, in specific on the ZC and its modified forms as a potential agent for promoting human brain health and overall well-being.
Detoxifying Effects. Most of the clinical positive effects of ZC and modified ZC have been attributed to its reversible ion exchange and adsorption capacity. The first detoxifying effects of ZC in a modified form were observed in murine models. In lead poisoned mice, the modified ZC reduced the accumulation of lead in the intestine by more than 70% with a protective effect on the brain tissue. In rats intoxicated with organophosphates, ZC was effective in restoring cholinesterase activity at the system level. According to some reports, ZC in the intestine could bind to the organophosphate through an interaction with an -OH group or a dipole–dipole interaction and therefore can be excreted in the feces. As a result, the role of ZC has been recognized in zootechnics and veterinary medicine where it has provided clear evidence on improving the physical fitness and efficiency of farm animals by removing numerous harmful substances from the body including ammonia, nitrates, mycotoxins, and other toxins. The presence of ammonia and polar molecules in the environment is the result of intensive zootechnical and agricultural activities that pour these pollutants into the environment, contaminating our groundwater resources. ZC has shown a high ability to eliminate ammonia from the environment, especially from drinking water. Moreover, today it has also been used in the reclamation of animal manure before soil contamination. In addition, dairy cattle may undergo nitrate and mycotoxins intoxication from the water, which can generate alterations in protein and glucose metabolism. In these cows, the integration of ZC in the feed has reduced the assimilation of nitrates and concentration of aflatoxins in their milk, improving the systemic toxic effects. The detoxifying action on these ions has no effect on the physiological ionic equilibrium. In fact, the blood mineral levels of cattle were unaffected by integration with ZC. In addition, similar beneficial effects have also been observed in other farm animals such as pigs and poultry. In this regard, ZC has shown a positive effect in farmed poultry in balancing the total intestinal microbial flora, reducing toxic effects of aflatoxins and. The physical–chemical properties and therefore detoxifying abilities improve when ZC is subjected to PMA technology as observed in some clinical settings. In particular, the detoxifying action of PMA-ZC towards ammonia may have potential applications as a therapeutic adjuvant in humans as hypothesized based on results from a clinical study. Ammonia is produced as a waste in the body during the metabolism of proteins, transformed by the liver into urea, and eliminated by kidneys. Diets rich in proteins, pathologies with excessive protein fermentation, as in the case of irritable bowel and ulcerative colitis lead to an increase in the production of ammonia. High levels of ammonia indicate poor hepatic and renal function. Some authors have highlighted the important ammonia detoxifying contribution of ZC in various diseases. In particular, a study focused on the administration of specific PMA-ZC (Panaceo Sport) to endurance-trained subjects who probably undergo a rich protein diet and frequently encounter intestinal symptoms such as nausea, stomach, and intestinal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. These annoying conditions can result from the excessive protein fermentation accompanied by the higher release of ammonia in the intestine. Excessive exercise can also compromise the same intestinal permeability and trigger cell-mediated inflammatory responses.
Supplementation with PMA-ZC improved the integrity of the intestinal barrier, decreasing the concentrations of zonulin, a marker of increased intestinal permeability and might furthermore have positive effects on nausea and diarrhea (Figure 3). Despite these pieces of evidence on the detoxifying action of ZC, there are still few clinical studies in humans. The ability to interchange ions of ZC raises some questions regarding the risk of altering the homeostasis of necessary trace elements and micronutrients in humans. Indeed, despite studies of the use of PMA-ZC in athletes not revealing any alterations in the hydro-saline equilibrium, further investigations are necessary for human use.
Conclusions. PMA-ZC is studied and used for oral supplementation to bind toxic substances such as ammonia or heavy metals in the milieu of the gastro-intestinal tract. Furthermore, PMA-ZC is capable of improving the ecosystem of intestinal microbial flora. Based on the data collected on animal models and on a few clinical trials, it can be speculated that the general state of wellbeing generated by ZC, and in particular by TMAZ and PMA-ZC, is due to its detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action in the intestine. Indeed, recent findings of the importance of the gut microbiome in the regulation of immunity and its interconnection with the central nervous system could at least partially explain the results obtained using animal models treated with PMA-ZC. ZC could purify the internal environment of our body, maintain gut microbiota homeostasis for healthy brain activity, improve the antioxidant and endogenous anti-inflammatory activities thereby improving the overall wellbeing of the patient.
Source: Andrea Mastinu, Amit Kumar, Giuseppina Maccarinelli, Sara Anna Bonini, Marika Premoli, Francesca Aria, Alessandra Gianoncelli, and Maurizio Memo. “Zeolite Clinoptilolite: Therapeutic Virtues of an Ancient Mineral” Molecules (2019): 24(8): 1517.
Chlorella vulgaris
Potential of Chlorella as a Dietary Supplement to Promote Human Health
Abstract
Chlorella is a green unicellular alga that is commercially produced and distributed worldwide as a dietary supplement. Chlorella products contain numerous nutrients and vitamins, including D and B12, that are absent in plant-derived food sources. Chlorella contains larger amounts of folate and iron than other plant-derived foods. Chlorella supplementation to mammals, including humans, has been reported to exhibit various pharmacological activities, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antihyperlipidemic activities. Meta-analysis on the effects of Chlorella supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors have suggested that it improves total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels but not triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These beneficial effects of Chlorella might be due to synergism between multiple nutrient and antioxidant compounds. However, information regarding the bioactive compounds in Chlorella is limited.
Vitamins. Chlorella products contain all the vitamins required by humans, i.e., B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, C, D2, E, and K, and α- and β-carotenes. Chlorella products contain substantial amounts of vitamins D2 and B12, both of which are well known to be absent in plants.
Pigments. C. vulgaris reportedly produces lutein as the primary carotenoid.
Detoxification Effect. Dioxins are a group of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran-related compounds that are industrial contaminants and ubiquitous environmental pollutants. These compounds are easily absorbed in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract and then stored in the liver, adipose tissue, and breast milk due to their lipophilic properties. An incident involving the consumption of cooking oil contaminated with dioxins had tragic effects. To investigate the effects of Chlorella supplementation on fecal excretion of dioxins, rats were administered dioxin-contaminated rice oil. The rats were fed 4 g of a 10% (w/w) Chlorella (C. vulgaris) diet or a control diet (without Chlorella) once during the five-day experimental period, and the amounts of fecal dioxins were measured. The fecal dioxin levels were significantly greater in the Chlorella group than in the control group. In addition, Chlorella supplementation significantly inhibited the gastrointestinal absorption of dioxins (approximately 2–53% decrease). These results indicate that Chlorella supplementation might be useful in promoting dioxin excretion.
Heterocyclic amines have been established as carcinogenic chemicals that form when amino acids, sugars, and creatine in muscle meats (beef, pork, fish, and poultry) react with one another during cooking at high temperatures. To evaluate the effect of Chlorella supplementation on the detoxification of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with Chlorella supplementation (100 mg/day) for two weeks was conducted. Chlorella supplementation decreased urinary excretion of the predominant metabolite of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines, suggesting that Chlorella either inhibits the intestinal absorption of heterocyclic amines or inactivates carcinogenic compounds.
Methylmercury is a neurotoxic metal compound that is converted from inorganic mercury by microorganisms in aquatic environments and is then accumulated in fish and shellfish through marine food chains. Therefore, the major route of human exposure to methylmercury is the consumption of seafood. In many countries, pregnant women are cautioned against consuming large fish, such as tuna, to prevent fetal exposure. As Chlorella consumption is reported to increase the excretion of methylmercury and lower tissue mercury levels in methylmercury-treated mice, an open-label clinical trial was performed to estimate the effects of Parachlorella beijerinckii supplementation (9 g/day) for three months on mercury concentrations in the hair and blood of healthy subjects. Chlorella supplementation reduced mercury levels in both the hair and blood. Fecal excretion is the major route of methylmercury elimination (90%) in humans. Most of the methylmercury in the liver is secreted as a glutathione complex via the bile duct, with a small portion excreted in the feces. The dietary fiber in Chlorella cells increases the amount of feces excreted by humans. Dietary fiber has been shown to absorb some methylmercury in vitro. These observations suggest that the observed lowering of hair and blood mercury levels in Chlorella-treated participants may result from the promotion of fecal methylmercury excretion via accelerated bile secretion, the binding of methylmercury to dietary fiber in the intestinal tract, and increased feces production.
Conclusions. Commercially available Chlorella products contain a variety of nutrients essential for humans, as well as a large amount of good quality protein, dietary fibers, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including α-linolenic and linoleic acids. In particular, Chlorella products contain vitamins D2 and B12, which are absent from plant-derived food sources, and larger amounts of folate and iron than other plant-derived foods. Mounting scientific evidence of the health benefits of daily Chlorella consumption has been presented in animal and human studies. The pharmacological activities reported in Chlorella studies include immunomodulation, antioxidative activity, and effects against diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The beneficial effects of Chlorella might involve synergism between multiple nutrient and antioxidant compounds. Overall, the information regarding bioactive compounds in Chlorella is limited. Thus, new bioactive compounds responsible for its pharmacological activities may be identified in future studies.
Source: Tomohiro Bito, Eri Okumura, Masaki Fujishima, and Fumio Watanabe. “Potential of Chlorella as a Dietary Supplement to Promote Human Health” Nutrients (2020): 12(9): 2524.
Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) (Resveratrol)
A Comprehensive Study on the Antimicrobial Properties of Resveratrol as an Alternative Therapy
Abstract
Resveratrol is a polyphenolic antioxidant whose possible health benefits include anticarcinogenic, antiaging, and antimicrobial properties that have gained significant attention. The compound is well accepted by individuals and has been commonly used as a nutraceutical in recent decades. Its widespread usage makes it essential to study as a single agent as well as in combination with traditional prescription antibiotics as regards to antimicrobial properties. Resveratrol demonstrates the action of antimicrobials against a remarkable bacterial diversity, viruses, and fungus. This report explains resveratrol as an all-natural antimicrobial representative. It may modify the bacterial virulence qualities resulting in decreased toxic substance production, biofilm inhibition, motility reduction, and quorum sensing disturbance. Moreover, in conjunction with standard antibiotics, resveratrol improves aminoglycoside efficacy versus Staphylococcus aureus, while it antagonizes the deadly function of fluoroquinolones against S. aureus and also Escherichia coli. The present study aimed to thoroughly review and study the antimicrobial potency of resveratrol, expected to help researchers pave the way for solving antimicrobial resistance. RSV usually revealed far better antifungal than antibacterial activity, as displayed by the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs).
Antifungal Activity. RSV inhibitory activity is about 25–50 μg/mL for the fungal dermatophytes Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton tonsurans, Tri-chophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum gypseum. The inhibitory action for the fungal species Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Trichosporon beigelii is 10–20 μg/mL, although another study has not identified antifungal activity against C. albicans. RSV activity was inhibitory against plant pathogen B. cinerea, the whole organism of gray mold in which B germination has been developing. Concentrations of 60–140 μg/mL are observed for B. cinerea conidia and mycelial development.
Antiparasitic Activity. This polyphenol compound's antiparasitic activity was measured against Trypanosoma cruzi, Setaria cervi, and Leishmania amazonensis. In Leishmania amazonensism, RSV exhibited antipromastigote and antiamastigote effects, boosted promastigote proportion, decreased mitochondrial capacity, and decreased arginase enzyme activity of macrophages leading to the removal of parasites. The findings of other studies showed that trans-RSV analogs have activity in anti-L. amazonensis and cause adventitious death by promastigotes. In the filarial nematode, Setaria cervi trans-stilbene derivatives have exercised anti-filarial activity through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis mediation. RSV exposed strong antiparasitic effects on T. cruzi through supported metacyclogenesis, inhibiting epimastigotes growth, blocking differentiation, and replicating intracellular amastigotes.
Antibacterial Activity. RSV inhibits development at concentrations < 100 μg/mL for a small variety of bacterial species, including the Bacillus cereus (MIC = 50 μg/mL), M. Smegmatis (MIC = 64 μg/mL), Helicobacter pylori (MIC = 25–50 μg/mL), Vibrio cholerae (MIC = 60 μg/mL), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (MIC = 75 μg/mL), Campylobacter coli (MIC = 50 μg/mL), and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (MIC = 50 μg/mL), respectively. Resveratrol's inhibitive activity versus Mycobacterium tuberculosis is 100 μg/mL. RSV only exhibits growth-inhibitory behavior at concentrations >100 μg/mL for many bacterial organisms. Remarkable Gram-positive pathogens with MICs of about 100–200 μg/mL contain S. Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus pyogenes. Some studies recorded a lower sensitivity to multiple Gram-negative pathogens (MIC > 200 μg/mL) relative to Gram-positive pathogens, such as E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium. This finding may result from weak RSV penetration of certain Gram-negative bacteria across the outer membrane or maybe the consequence of RSV's active extrusion by efflux pump systems. As RSV inhibits ATP synthase in other bacterial organisms, it remains to be investigated whether diverse bacterial energy generation needs partial accounting for increased RSV susceptibility rates (Table 2).
Antivirulence Properties. Virulence has become a pathogen's capacity to induce infection in a host, and virulence factors are mechanisms by which the pathogen damages the host (e.g., excretion of toxins) along with tools for condition (e.g., adhesion, invasion, invasion, and formation of biofilms) . Virulence gene expression is also tightly controlled for timely and organized environmental adaptation, that is, by quorum sensing (QS) or two-component systems (TCSs). Antivirulence molecules' therapeutic applicability concerns the reason for disarming the pathogen of capacity to provoke the host's damage and, depending on the host immune system, to kill the bacteria (Table 3).
Antibiofilm Properties. Bacteria can live as planktonic cells or in aggregates attached to surfaces, growing in biofilms as an extracellular material. The benefit of bacteria-based biofilm formation is developing a more stable atmosphere to protect against environmental threats, namely, phagocytosis and antimicrobials. Biofilms have become a clinically significant problem linked to chronic and persistent infections.
RSV has also been observed for its capacity to minimize the development of biofilms on different bacterial pathogens. For the Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum, involved in the dental plaque, RSV inhibits biofilms' growth in concentrations (4–64-fold below the MIC) that do not affect planktonic cell development. RSV also shows antibiofilm properties against Gram-negative pathogens V. cholerae at concentrations 2–6-fold listed below MIC and E. coli and the Gram-positive bacterium P. acnes. In E. coli, the effect is mediated by decreased gene expression (csgA and csgB) encoding for curli development, which is essential for biofilm formation. For the Gram-positive pathogen S. aureus, RSV inhibits the growth of biofilms at concentrations 3-4-fold below the MIC. In combination with vancomycin, RSV has a significant effect on eradicating existing biofilms. Moreover, RSV did not increase biofilm formation in S. aureus in two other tests, suggesting that the effect may be affected by test conditions and strain variations.
Antimotility Properties. Motility at the colonization stage is essential for several bacterial species. For example, motion can occur by swimming and swarming, involving the development of functional flagella and twitching involving type IV pili. P. mirabilis displays decreased swarming capacity in a dose-dependent manner at subinhibitory concentrations of RSV. Swarming suppression in RSV's existence depends on the TCS protein RsbA, which is a negative swarming regulator. RSV restricts swimming and swarming at E. coli by downregulation with some motility and flagellar genes. Vibrio vulnificus has also been reported to have reduced swarming capability.
Toxin Interference. Bacterial pathogens contain many structurally and functionally distinct toxins and are, therefore, very significant in disease progress. Surprisingly enough, some studies indicate that RSV interferes with toxins' expression. In V. vulnificus, RtxA1 is an essential multifunctional cytotoxic toxin for lethality in mice, and the treatment with RSV decreases the expression of rtxA1. In V. cholerae, RSV prevents endocytosis of cholera toxin (CT) into host cells and also binds CT explicitly, possibly inhibiting CT-induced diarrhea. Therefore, RSV significantly reduces S. aureus in human blood cells; however, the inhibition process stays mysterious.
Source: Ehsan Abedini, Ehsaneh Khodadadi, Elham Zeinalzadeh, Seyyed Reza Moaddab, Mohammad Asgharzadeh, Bahareh Mehramouz, Sounkalo Dao, and Hossein Samadi Kafil. “A Comprehensive Study on the Antimicrobial Properties of Resveratrol as an Alternative Therapy” Evidence Based Complimentary & Alternative Medicine 2021; 2021: 8866311.
Grape Seed (Proanthocyanidins)
Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Alleviates Intestinal Inflammation Through Gut Microbiota-Bile Acid Crosstalk in Mice
Abstract
Regulation of gut microbiota and modulation of bile acid (BA) composition are potential strategies for the treatment of intestinal inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSP) on intestinal inflammation and to understand its mechanism. C57BL/6J male mice (7–8 weeks old) were used in experiments. Antibiotics were applied to deplete gut microbiota to evaluate the contribution of gut microbiota to the effect of dietary GSP. Intestinal-specific farnesoid X receptor (FXR) inhibitor was used to analyze the role of FXR signaling. In this study, GSP alleviated intestinal inflammation induced by LPS and altered the gut microbiota accompanied by increased abundance of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) producing microbes. GSP activated the intestinal FXR signaling pathway and increased gene expression of enzymes of the alternative BA synthetic pathway, which associated with elevated levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA) in liver and feces. However, gut microbiota depletion by antibiotics removed those effects of GSP on mice injected with LPS. In addition, the protective effect of GSP on mice challenged with LPS was weakened by the inhibition of intestinal FXR signaling. Further, the mixture of CDCA and LCA mirrored the effects of GSP in mice injected with LPS, which might verify the efficiency of CDCA and LCA on intestinal inflammation. Taken together, our results indicated that GSP exerted an intestinal protection role in the inflammation induced by LPS, and these effects were mediated by regulating gut microbiota-BA crosstalk.
Source: Yi Wu, Ruixia Mo, Mingrui Zhang, Weiwei Zhou, and Defa Li. “Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Alleviates Intestinal Inflammation Through Gut Microbiota-Bile Acid Crosstalk in Mice” Frontiers in Nutrition (2021): 8: 786682.
Nigella sativa (Thymoquinone)
Gastrointestinal effects of Nigella sativa and its main constituent, thymoquinone: a review
Abstract
Anti-bacterial and anti-schistosomiasis effects. The effect of N. sativa seed (0%, 1%, 2% and 3% of diet) on performance, intestinal Escherichia coli (E. coli) colonization and jejunal morphology in laying hens was evaluated. The results showed that ileal E. coli numeration reduced with 1% N. sativa. However, the best intestinal health indices were obtained following administration of 2% N. sativa (Boka et al., 2014).
The effect of TQ (10 mg/kg, i.p.) against bacterial translocation and inflammatory responses induced by mechanical intestinal obstruction was studied in rats. The results indicated that TQ decreased inflammatory cytokines, oxidative damage, bacterial translocation and improved intestinal barrier function in rats with intestinal obstruction (Kapan et al., 2012).
In a clinical trial, the effect of N. sativa seed in comparison with a triple therapy including clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and omeprazole against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was evaluated in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. Patients were randomly divided into four groups: I) Triple therapy; II) 1 g/day N. sativa + 40 mg omeprazole; III) 2 g/day N. sativa + 40 mg omeprazole and IV) 3 g/day N. sativa + 40 mg omeprazole for four weeks. The results indicated that 2 g/day N. sativa + 40 mg omeprazole has the best therapeutic effect on H. pylori activity (Salem et al., 2010).
The antioxidant and anti-schistosomal effects of garlic aqueous extract (125 mg kg -1, i.p.) and N. sativa oil (0.2 mg kg, i.p.) in normal mice and Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni)-infected mice were studied. Hematological parameters and levels of MDA, GSH, LDH, AST, and ALT were assessed in the liver. The results revealed that garlic extract and N. sativa oil reversed most of the hematological and biochemical changes and markedly improved the antioxidant capacity of treated infected mice as compared to untreated infected mice (Shenawy et al., 2008).
The effect of oral administration of N. Sativa oil (2.5 and 5 ml/kg) alone or in combination with praziquantel on liver injury induced by S. mansoni was investigated in mice. The results showed that N. Sativa oil reduced the number of S. mansoni worms in the liver and decreased the total number of ova deposited in both the liver and intestine. When N. Sativa oil was administered in combination with praziquantel, the most prominent effect was a further reduction in the dead ova number more than that induced by praziquantel alone (Mahmoud et al., 2002).
The schistosomicidal effect of N. sativa seed against S. mansoni miracidia, cercariae, and adult worms was evaluated. Findings showed that N. sativa seed had a strong biocidal effect against all stages of the parasite life and showed inhibitory effect on egg-laying in adult female worms. The results also indicated that N. sativa seed induced oxidative stress against adult worms which was determined by reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (Mohamed et al., 2005).
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The effects of N. sativa oil (0.88 g/kg, orally) on gastric secretion and ethanol-induced ulcer in adult male rats were assayed. The results showed that N. sativa oil increased gastric mucin content, free acidity and glutathione level, and decreased gastric mucosal histamine content. It is concluded that N. sativa oil has a protective effect on ethanol-induced ulcer (El-Dakhakhny et al., 2000).
In another study, gastroprotective effects of N. sativa oil (2.5 and 5 ml/kg, orally) and TQ (5, 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg, orally) against gastric mucosal injury induced by ischaemia/reperfusion were evaluated in male Wistar rats. The results indicated that N. sativa oil and TQ at 5 and 20 mg/kg reduced LDH, LPO and increased GSH and SOD. It is concluded that N. sativa oil and TQ had a protective effect on gastric injury (El-Abhar et al., 2003).
The effects of N. sativa oil (10 mL/kg body weight, orally) and TQ (10 mg/kg body weight, orally) against acute alcohol-induced gastric mucosal injury were investigated in male albino rats. The findings showed that N. sativa oil caused a reduction in ulcer index and MDA level and promoted healing of gastric injury and SOD, GSH and GST levels. Likewise, TQ has a protective activity on gastric lesions but less than that of N. sativa (Kanter et al., 2005b).
The gastroprotective and anti-secretory effects of N. sativa seed powder (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g/kg, oral), aqueous and ethanolic extracts of N. sativa seed powder (2.0 g/kg, oral), and N. sativa ethanol-ethyl acetate fraction (2.0 g/kg, oral) were investigated in indomethacin-treated rats. The results showed that N. sativa seed powder decreased indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in a dose-dependent manner. Ethanolic extract of N. sativa significantly reduced gastric secretion volume, pH, acid-output and ulcer index, whereas aqueous extract only decreased gastric acid-output (Rifat-uz-Zaman and Khan, 2004).
In another study, the protective effect of N. sativa oil (10 ml/kg body weight) against piroxicam-induced gastric mucosal injury in adult male albino rats was investigated using light and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that N .sativa oil improved the structure of the mucosa in rats that received piroxicam and increased mucus secretion (Mohammed et al., 2010).
The protective effect of N. sativa oil (10 ml/kg body weight) on stress-induced gastric ulcer in hypothyroid rats was studied. Animals were randomly divided into six groups: I) Control; II) Surgically thyroidectomized group; III) Acute cold restraint stressed group; IV).
Surgically thyroidectomized and stressed group; V) N. sativa oil group and VI) Surgically thyroidectomized and stressed receiving N. sativa oil group. Findings indicated a reduction in thyroid hormone level and an increase in stress-induced gastritis which can be inhibited by N. sativa oil (Abdel Sater, 2009).
The effects of two-week administration of N. Sativa oil (0.88 mL/kg/day, orally), omeprazole (30 mg/kg body weight/day, orally) and corn oil (2 mL/kg/day, orally) on ethanol-induced gastric lesions were studied in rats. The results indicated that N. sativa oil significantly increased glutathione and antioxidant enzymes and decreased lipid peroxides and protein carbonyl content. It is concluded that co-administration of omeprazole and N. sativa oil significantly improved all of the studied parameters (El-Masry et al., 2010).
In one study, the effects of TQ (10 and 20mg/kg), omeprazole (10 and 20mg/kg) or co-administration of TQ (10mg/kg) and omeprazole (10mg/kg) on gastric mucosal ischemia/reperfusion injury induced by pyloric ligation (30 min), ischemia (30 min)/reperfusion (120 min) were investigated in rats. The results revealed that TQ had gastroprotective effects which were mediated by inhibiting proton pump, acid secretion and neutrophil infiltration, and increasing mucin secretion, and nitric oxide production (Magdy et al., 2012).
The antioxidative and anti-histaminergic effects of N. sativa (500mg/kg, oral) and TQ (10mg/kg, orally) on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage were investigated in rat. The results showed that N. sativa significantly decreased the number of mast cells, the area of gastric erosions, histamine levels and myeloperoxidase activity. However, TQ effect was less pronounced as compared to that of N. sativa. The results also suggested that gastroprotective effects of N. sativa could be due to its anti-peroxidative, antioxidant and anti-histaminergic effects (Kanter et al., 2006).
The effect of N. seed oil (2.5 ml/kg, orally) on gastric tissues in experimental colitis (trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid -induced colitis) was studied. The levels of sialic acid (SA), GSH, MDA and CAT and SOD activities in gastric tissue samples and TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and LDH levels in blood samples were determined. N. sativa seed oil significantly increased gastric tissue CAT activity and decreased LDH activity and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 levels. Findings of this study indicated that N. sativa seed oil has a modulatory effect on inflammatory response in colitis (Emekli-Alturfan et al., 2011).
The effect of TQ (5 and 10 mg/kg) and sulfasalazine (500 mg/kg) as an anti-colitis drug on acetic acid-induced colitis (by intracolonic injection of 3% acetic acid) was investigated in rats. Findings revealed that TQ has a more pronounced protective effect on colitis as compared to sulfasalazine and this effect may be possibly mediated through its antioxidant action (Mahgoub, 2003).
The effect of TQ (100 mg/kg, orally) on chronic pancreatitis induced by high fat diet and ethanol was studied in rats. Findings revealed that TQ has a protective effect on pancreatitis via reducing the secretion of amylase and lipase from pancreas, inflammatory cytokine and lipid peroxidation (Suguna et al., 2013).
Conclusion. N. sativa and its main constituent, TQ showed anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-bacterial, anti-schistosomiasis, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in animal models of gastrointestinal disorders including cancers, hepatotoxicity, ischemia/reperfusion injury, cholestatic liver, non-ulcer dyspepsia, schistosomiasis infection, colitis and pancreatitis. These effects supported the preventive and therapeutic effect of N. sativa and its constituents on inflammatory, oxidative and toxic injury due to various toxins, microbes and food allergens. Clinical studies also indicated preventive effect as well as relieving effect of this plant and its constituents on various gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, N. sativa have both preventive and therapeutic effects on gastro-intestinal diseases.
Source: Farzaneh Shakeri, Zahra Gholamnezhad, Bruno Mégarbane, Ramin Rezaee, and Mohammad Hosein Boskabady. “Gastrointestinal effects of Nigella sativa and its main constituent, thymoquinone: a review” Avienna Journal of Phytomedicine (2016): 6(1): 9–20.