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Unknown's avatar lassesen 12:00 am on April 10, 2014  

Crohn’s Disease – Herb Details: Part 4

WARNING: These herbs should NOT be used with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (unless you have Mutaflor!)

Rheum officinale: Rhubarb Root

This was the only herb of 178 herbs tested that had significant activity against bacteroides fragilis. There is only a single study. It can cause diarrhea or constipation — depending on dosage.

According to Wikipedia:

Rheum officinale is used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yào yòng dà huáng, and is also a component in the North American herbal remedy called Essiac tea.

In modern medicine, R. officinale has been studied for the treatment of hepatitis B. However, a meta-analysis of published clinical trials concluded that the quality of existing studies was “poor”, but further study of R. officinale in combination with interferon is “justified”.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Chitosan

Chitosan is reported to inhibit Peptostreptococcus in a single study.

Wikipedia has a long article on its biomedical uses for a wide variety of conditions.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Zingiber officinale: Ginger Root (Inji root)

Ginger root is a member of the same family (Zingiberaceae) as turmeric, cardamom and galangal.

According to Wikipedia:

The traditional medical form of ginger historically was called Jamaica ginger; it was classified as a stimulant and carminative and used frequently for dyspepsia,gastroparesis, slow motility symptoms, constipation, and colic. It was also frequently employed to disguise the taste of medicines.

Some studies indicate ginger may provide short-term relief of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. Studies are inconclusive about effects for other forms of nausea or in treating pain from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or joint and muscle injury. Side effects, mostly associated with powdered ginger, are gas, bloating, heartburn, and nausea.

Tea brewed from ginger is a common folk remedy for colds. Ginger ale and ginger beer are also drunk as stomach settlers in countries where the beverages are made.

In Burma, ginger and a local sweetener made from palm tree juice (htan nyat) are boiled together and taken to prevent the flu.
In China, ginger is included in several traditional preparations. A drink made with sliced ginger cooked in water with brown sugar or a cola is used as a folk medicine for the common cold. “Ginger eggs” (scrambled eggs with finely diced ginger root) is a common home remedy for coughing. The Chinese also make a kind of dried ginger candy that is fermented in plum juice and sugared, which is also commonly consumed to suppress coughing. Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation, which several scientific studies support, though one arthritis trial showed ginger to be no better than a placebo or ibuprofen for treatment of osteoarthritis.
In Congo, ginger is crushed and mixed with mango tree sap to make tangawisi juice, which is considered a panacea.
In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache, and consumed when suffering from the common cold. Ginger with lemon and black salt is also used for nausea.
In Indonesia, ginger (jahe in Indonesian) is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing “winds” in the blood, prevent and cure rheumatism and control poor dietary habits.citation needed
In Nepal, ginger is called aduwaand is widely grown and used throughout the country as a spice for vegetables, used medically to treat cold and also sometimes used to flavor tea.
In the Philippines, ginger is known as luya and is used as a throat lozenge in traditional medicine to relieve sore throat. It is also brewed into a tea known as salabat
In the United States, ginger is used to prevent motion and morning sickness. It is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement. Ginger water is also used to avoid heat cramps.
In Peru, ginger is sliced in hot water as an infusion for stomach aches as infusión de Kión.
In Japan it is purported to aid blood circulation. Scientific studies investigating these effects have been inconclusive.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Punica granatum: Pomegranate

This species has been repeatedly identified as effective against E.Coli. In one study of eight medicinal herbs, it was found to be the most effective. The seed cover and peel (and not the juice) appears to be part that is effective.

According to Wikipedia:

In the Indian subcontinent’s ancient Ayurveda system of medicine, the pomegranate has extensively been used as a source of traditional remedies for thousands of years.

The rind of the fruit and the bark of the pomegranate tree is used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites. The seeds and juice are considered a tonic for the heart and throat, and classified as a bitter-astringent (pitta or fire) component under the Ayurvedic system, and considered a healthful counterbalance to a diet high in sweet-fatty (kapha or earth) components. The astringent qualities of the flower juice, rind and tree bark are considered valuable for a variety of purposes, such as stopping nose bleeds and gum bleeds, toning skin, (after blending with mustard oil) firming-up sagging breasts and treating hemorrhoids. Pomegranate juice (of specific fruit strains) is also used as eyedrops as it is believed to slow the development of cataracts.

Ayurveda differentiates between pomegranate varieties and employs them for different remedies.

Pomegranate has been used as a contraceptive and abortifacient by means of consuming the seeds, or rind, as well as by using the rind as a vaginal suppository. This practice is recorded in ancient Indian literature, in Medieval sources, and in modern folk medicine.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Terminalia chebula: Haritaki

Several studies have found this is effective against E.Coli. This herb was found to be as potent as ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, kanamycin, ofloxacin and cephalexin against E.Coli. The same study found it more effective than punica granatum above. This superior performance was reported in another study of 66 herbs. It has no adverse effects on the growth of the lactic acid-producing bacteria.

According to Wikipedia:

Haritaki is a rejuvenative, laxative (unripe), astringent (ripe), anthelmintic, nervine, expectorant, tonic, carminative, and appetite stimulant. It is used in people who have leprosy (including skin disorders), anemia, narcosis, piles, chronic, intermittent fever,heart disease, diarrhea, anorexia, cough and excessive secretion of mucus, and a range of other complaints and symptoms. According to the Bhavaprakasha, Haritaki was derived from a drop of nectar from Indra’s cup. Haritaki is used to mitigate Vata and eliminate ama (toxins), indicated by constipation, a thick greyish tongue coating, abdominal pain and distension, foul feces and breath, flatulence, weakness, and a slow pulse. The fresh fruit is dipana and the powdered dried fruit made into a paste and taken with jaggery is malashodhana, removing impurities and wastes from the body. Haritaki is an effective purgative when taken as a powder, but when the whole dried fruit is boiled the resulting decoction is grahi, useful in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. The fresh or reconstituted fruit taken before meals stimulates digestion, whereas if taken with meals it increases intelligence, nourishes the senses and purifies the digestive and genitourinary tract. Taken after meals Haritaki treats diseases caused by the aggravation of Vayu, Pitta and Kapha as a result of unwholesome food and drinks. Haritaki is a rasayana to Vata, increasing awareness, and has a nourishing, restorative effect on the central nervous system. Haritaki improves digestion, promotes the absorption of nutrients, and regulates colon function.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Withania somnifera: Ashwagandha

Several studies have confirmed its effectiveness against E.Coli. It contains sterol glycosyltransferases that interfere with the function of E.Coli under stress conditions. [2013]

According to Wikipedia:

The main active constituents are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first withanolide to be isolated from W. somnifera.

In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves of W. somnifera are locally applied to tumors, tubercular glands, carbuncles, and ulcers. The roots of W. somnifera are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions.

In two published clinical trials of W. somnifera, the side effects were not significantly different from those experienced by placebo-treated individuals. A case report implicated ashwaganda as the cause of thyrotoxicosis in a 32-year old female who had taken ashwaganada extract capsules for symptoms of chronic fatigue.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Epilobium angustifolium: Fireweed or Willow Herb

Several studies have confirmed its effectiveness against E.Coli, including increasing the effectiveness of ciprofloxacin significantly.

Antimicrobial activity of Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium L.) leaves and flowers.[2013]

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Salvia Plebeia

There has been one study finding that it is effective against E. Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Rosmarinus officinalis: Rosemary

There have been several studies of its use in the food industry to reduce E.Coli. It is not effective against drug resistant E.Coli73. It inhibits quorum sensing of gut bacteria. It also contains essential oils which can cause secondary issues with Crohn’s disease (like Clove Oil which also impacts E.Coli). It is not an ideal herb for CD. A combination of galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) appears effective and uses multiple mechanisms.

According to Wikipedia:

Hungary water was first prepared for the Queen of Hungary Elisabeth of Poland to ” … renovate vitality of paralyzed limbs … ” and to treat gout. It was used externally and prepared by mixing fresh rosemary tops into spirits of wine. Don Quixote (Part One, Chapter XVII) mixes it in his recipe of the miraculous balm of Fierabras.

Rosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory and has been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) A modern study lends some credence to this reputation. When the smell of rosemary was pumped into cubicles where people were working, they showed improved memory, though with slower recall.

Rosemary contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Other bioactive compounds include camphor (up to 20% in dry rosemary leaves), caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol and rosmanol. Rosemary antioxidants levels are closely related to soil moisture content.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Scutellaria baicalensis: Chinese/Baikal Skullcap

Several studies indicate that it is effective against E.Coli.

According to Wikipedia:

It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has the name huáng qín. As a Chinese traditional medicine, Huang Qin usually refers to the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, S. viscidula Bge., S. amoena C.H. Wright, and S. ikoninkovii Ju.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Trianthema decandra: Gadabani

A single study reports its effectiveness against E.Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Quercus infectoria: Oak Gall Tree

A single study reports its effectiveness against E.Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

[New] Hibiscus sabdariffa L: Roselle or Sorrel

Wikipedia states:

Although Roselle has well documented hypotensive effects,[8] Hibiscus has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any widely available food; antioxidants have been shown in several studies to enhance nitric oxide production in the body, reducing blood pressure and oxidized lipidsHibiscus sabdariffa has shown in vitro antimicrobial activity against E. coli.[13] A recent review stated that specific extracts of H. sabdariffa exhibit activities against atherosclerosis, liver disease, cancer, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes.[14]

[New] Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium: Daisy

The multi-targeted effects of Chrysanthemum herb extract against Escherichia coli O157:H7.[2013]

[New] Cuminum cyminum: cumin

Wikipedia states:

In Sanskrit, Cumin is known as Jiraka. Jira means “that which helps digestion”. In Ayurvedic system of medicine, dried Cumin seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The dried cumin seeds are powdered and used in different forms like kashaya (decoction), arishta (fermented decoction), vati(tablet/pills), and processed with ghee (a semi-fluid clarified butter). It is used internally and sometimes for external application also. It is known for its actions like enhancing appetite, taste perception, digestion, vision, strength, and lactation. It is used to treat diseases like fever, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting,  abdominal distension, edema and puerperal disorders.[15]

A popular drink in southern India such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu is calld jira water, made by boiling cumin seeds in water.[16] It is understood that cumin is beneficial for heart disease, swellings, tastelessness, vomiting, poor digestion and chronic fever.[17]

Ahmad Reza Gohari and Soodabeh Saeidnia have reviewed the Phytochemistry of Cuminum cyminum seeds and its standards. They have reported many pharmacological effects such as anti-diabetic, Immunologic, anti-epileptic, anti-tumor and antimicrobial activities.’[18] A study by researchers at Mysore University in India reports the potential anti-diabetic properties of cumin.[19]

Efraim Lev and Zohar Amar have reported several medicinal properties and health benefits of cumin seeds.[20] According to the authors, cumin seeds and warm jeera water is believed to improve saliva secretion, provide relief in digestive disorders.

[New] Allium hirtifolium Boiss: Persian shallot

Chemical composition and antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of Allium hirtifolium Boiss.[2013]

Wikipedia states:

Allium stipitatum is used as a medicinal plant in Central Asia. Extracts of the bulbs of the plant, which showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, were found to contain severalpyridine-N-oxide derivatives. Analysis of the cut plant using a mass spectrometer equipped with a DART ion source showed the presence of N-hydroxypyridine-2-thione, also known aspyrithione, a compound which is moderately cytotoxic toward human tumour cell lines, and highly active against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. Pyrithione-containing plant extracts are used in herbal medicine for treatment of malaria

Unknown's avatar lassesen 12:00 am on April 9, 2014  

Crohn’s Disease: #3 Correcting Overview

In my prior ebook, I focused solely on reducing E.Coli, below is the update on the what should be done – based on the strategy that I described in my prior post.

 

Correcting Gut Bacteria Dysfunction

WARNING: These herbs should NOT be used with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (unless you have Mutaflor!)

The Hit List

The herbs listed below are ones that may be reasonably obtained in a large metropolitan area with both Chinese Medicine and Indian Ayurvedic sources. Alternatively, most of these herbs are available on Amazon.com.

  • Rheum officinale (yào yòng dà huáng) is reported to inhibit bacteroides fragilis, unfortunately it also inhibits bifidobacteria[2010].  This was the only herb of 178 herbs tested that had significant activity. In terms of antibiotics, only metronidazole appears to be effective against most species that are overgrown.
  • Chitosan is reported to inhibit Peptostreptococcus, unfortunately it also inhibits bifidobacteria[2010]. Studies report that this family of bacteria is increasingly resistant to antibiotics with 10-13% of species resistant to preferred antibiotics. The most effective antibiotic appears to be metronidazole, and does not impact bifidobacteria [2013].

There are several herbs reported to inhibit E.Coli according to the National Library of Medicine. These include:

Supplement: Common Name E.Coli(HIGH) Bifido-bacteria(LOW) Pasteurell-acaea(HIGH) Fusobacter-iaceae(HIGH) Neisser-iaceae(HIGH) Coagulation
(HIGH)		 Histamines
(HIGH)		 TNF-Alpha(HIGH)
Epilobium angustifolium: Fireweed Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Punica granatum: Pomegranate[2012] Reduces Increases
[2009]		 Reduces [2011] n/a Reduces
[2011] [2010](Chromobacterium)		 possible [2010] Reduces [2009] Reduces [2012]
Quercus infectoria: Oak Gall Tree Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Reduces [2004] n/a
Rosmarinus officinalis: Rosemary Reduces n/a n/a n/a Reduces [2010] Reduces [2005] Reduces
[1991] [2013]		 Reduces [2011]
Salvia Plebeia Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a .. ..
Scutellaria baicalensis: Chinese/Baikal Skullcap Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Reduces [2012] [2010] Reduces [2013]
Terminalia chebula: Haritaki Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Reduces [2001] Reduces [2010]
Trianthema decandra: Gadabani Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Withania somnifera: Ashwagandha Reduces n/a n/a n/a n/a Reduces [2000] [2000] n/a Reduces [2009]
Zingiber officinale: Ginger Root (Inji root) Reduces
[2009]		 no impact[2009] Reduces [2002] (Haemophilus) n/a n/a antiplatelet (slight reduction)[2010] Reduces
[2007]		 Reduces[2013]

Despite the number of criteria, none of the herbs above effective against E.Coli appear to have any know counter-indicative characteristics. Only 2 have been studied in relationship to IBD (one marked with study under name) with ginger reported as  “the same item that was beneficial for one group of subjects was detrimental to others;” [2010]

A study of Chinese herbal medicines has found that repeated use of the same herbs does result in resistance to the herbs by some E.Coli species. This suggests that the above herbs should be used in combinations of 2-3 herbs with rotation every two weeks to minimize the risk of resistance.

The Prescription Route

I would refer readers to Effects of antibiotics on bacterial species composition and metabolic activities in chemostats containing defined populations of human gut microorganisms. [2013] which is available in full text.

The Immigrants

The beneficial probiotic, E.Coli Nissle 1917 (Mutaflor), out competes many E.Coli species. The suggested approach is to replace the invasive bacteria with Mutaflor as they are killed. Thus a rotation between killing E.Coli and supplementing with Mutaflor.  Yes, it means that you will be killing off some of the Mutaflor — which is why cycling is important.

Bifidobacteria are available in many commercial probiotics. Align, Ultimate Flora RTS – Colon Care Probiotic, RiteAid’s Colon Care, Phillips Colon Care are a few examples.

Faecalibacterium praunsitzii is at present not available except for clinical trials that are ongoing. The importance for the faecalibacterium praunsitzii shift has been questioned in some studies and may be a result of diet changes alone. A study with patients using faecalibacterium praunsitzii reported less severe symptoms.

Another commerical probiotics, Prescript Assist, has had outstanding success in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome but lacks any reported trials for CD or UC.  It contains several species that are low in Crohn’s Disease.

The Breakup Artists

Lastly, biofilms are produced by E.Coli, so the use of agents to break down biofilms should be considered as part of any treatment plan. Some known biofilm agents are

  • Serrapeptase: anticoagulant,
  • Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) – a histamine reducer,
  • Bishop Weed (Ajwain Seeds) – n/a histamine,
  • Acetylcysteine (NAC) – Warning, a histamine raiser

The above are the players. My friend alternatives between anti-microbials herbs(1-3) and probiotics every 1-2 weeks.

Unknown's avatar lassesen 12:00 am on April 8, 2014  

Crohn’s Disease: #2 – The Strategy

From Very Low E.Coli to Very High E.Coli

CFS and IBS have very low E.Coli level, while UC and Crohn’s has very high E.Coli levels — yet I believe that the first syndromes leads to the second syndrome often. Now? The answer is simple, with very low E.Coli, the gut is not able to keep bad E.Coli at bay and they eventually “get lucky” and take over. Where does the bad E.Coli come from? Like food that you eat. The bad E.Coli is not so bad that it makes you immediately sick, instead, it just jacks your system a bit.

What we know

In my last post I described what we know about the bacteria shift and how the degree of shift reflects the severity of Crohn’s Disease and UC. In this post I want to just describe the strategy and criteria to address the dysfunctional microbiome. Our starting point is the table below. Then we try to define what fits our model and what we know about Crohn’s Disease.

Low indicates either low count or low diversity or both compared to healthy controls

Species Change References
E.Coli Extremely High ..
Peptostreptococcus High ..
Bacteroides fragilis High ..
Enterobacteriaceae High [2014] [2014]
Pasteurellacaea Very High [2014] [2014]
 Veillonellaceae High [2014] [2014]
Fusobacteriaceae Very High [2014] [2014]
Firmicutes Low [2005]
Bifidobacteria Very Low [2014]
Faecalibacterium praunsitzii Low ..
Erysipelotrichales Low [2014] [2014]
Clostridiales Low [2014] [2014]
Bacteroidales Low [2014] [2014]
Neisseriaceas Very High [2014]
Gemellaceae High [2014]

Criteria for Selecting

Being trained in Operations Research, I am always inclined to develop models and work from there logically. Rather then tossing random medications, herbs and supplements at a condition, I want to define criteria that medications, herbs and supplements should fulfill (or if none can, then look for the best match at least). There can be some randomness — because what is important or not important can vary from MD to MD. These are my top concerns.

Criteria #1 Reduce the Very High without Hurting the Very Low

Given the large numbers of bacteria involved, it will be hard to find things that are perfect fits. Our worst case scenario will be something that reduces E.Coli but does not reduce Bifidobacteria.

Criteria #2 Anticoagulants are preferred over coagulants

This is also a carry over from the CFS  model that I thought should be checked. It appears  to apply to Crohn’s Disease. A few of many articles:

Criteria #3 Histamine reducers are preferred over histamine raisers

Because coagulation will result in signals to mast cells to release heparin stored there, it also risks releasing heparin. In this case, the literature states:

“The results demonstrate highly elevated mucosal histamine levels of the large intestine in allergic enteropathy. In inflammatory bowel disease histamine content and secretion were found to be significantly increased particularly in affected mucosa of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis than in unaffected tissue or in healthy controls. These findings give strong evidence that mast cell mediators like histamine play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Mucosalhistamine is thus concluded to contribute to the immuno-inflammatory reactions of the intestine found in these disease states and to reflect the degree of colonic inflammation in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.” Mucosal histamine content and histamine secretion in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and allergic enteropathy. [1995]

This is actually important because E.Coli, especially those found in Crohn’s disease, are biofilm bacteria. Hence, we want to use EDTA and not NAC as a biofilm breaker.

Criteria #4 Preference for items that lowers TNF-Alpha

High TNF-alpha is associated with more severe Crohn’s disease and is a better indicator than C-Reactive Protein(a common inflammation marker) according to some studies

Criteria #5 No evidence of it being counter-indicated by actual studies

I tend to get picky when something is speculated to be harmful to a condition but there are no actual studies supporting the speculation. If there are actual studies — then it is a no-no, otherwise, all things should be considered.

 

Unknown's avatar lassesen 9:31 pm on April 6, 2014  

Crohn’s Disease: #1 A review

A dear friend suffers from Crohn’s Disease and conventional treatments were not working for her – severe reactions to prescription medicine and significant neurological symptoms (which fortunately cleared when she stopped taking them). Her medical history path was:

  1. Irritable Bowel Disease
  2. 8 yrs later, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which went into remission using Jadin’s antibiotics protocol mixed with Hemex’s protocol)
    1. ” The findings also show that exposure to antibiotics increases Crohn’s-disease-associated dysbiosis”[2014]
  3. 8 yrs later, Crohn’s Disease diagnosis

She asked me to find alternatives – and in one way, I owe her a very great thanks. Why, it was finding that Mutaflor (E.Coli Nissle 1917) was very effective for Crohn’s that lead me to getting some for her. When I got CFS and started reviewing the literature and conference proceeding that I read about the very low level of E.Coli found in CFS patients that I tried Mutaflor on a whim (from her stock). The rest is history on this blog.

I had put together an eBook on an alternative treatment for Crohn’s Disease — using PubMed literature only. It has been 18 months since I did the research. It is time to revise the book with the last 18 months of new findings on PubMed. I intend to effectively do a draft revision on this blog, adding new citations to the revision (but not including the original citations)

This is actually of interest to IBS and CFS patients, because, I believe these patients have a major risk of progressing to ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or other forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Back to my friend, she had a MRI done last month, and as with every one since she started my alternative proposal, her MRI is constantly better (with no prescript drugs being used).

The Proposal

Crohn’s Disease or Syndrome is a form of inflammatory bowel disease. It is often progressive and difficult to treat. A 2007 study reported that “Of all invasive bacterial strains in Crohn’s Disease (CD), 98.9% were identified as Escherichia Coli as opposed to 42.1% in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and 2.1% in normal controls.” Other studies reported two other species overgrowth: bacteroides fragilis and peptostreptococcus. Low levels of faecalibacterium praunsitzii and bifidobacteria are reported [2014].

An important rhetorical question is “Does the disease cause the gut flora alteration, or does the gut flora alteration cause the disease symptoms?” Reviewing articles on PubMed, I could not locate any studies where attempts to concurrently correct all of the gut bacteria dysfunction were done. The term concurrent is not insignificant because gut bacteria displays a friend-foe behavior. Some bacteria are known to create virus to attack other members of its own family. Attempts to alter one species may fail because the other species may strive to restore the prior status-quo. A 2014 study did find that the shifts in bacteria “correlates strongly with disease status“.

A review of some successful treatments for CD and UC reveals that many attack invasive E. coli species. For example, E.Coli Nissle 1917 (Mutaflor) outcompetes many (but not all) E.Coli species and has been demonstrated to maintain remission. Various antibiotics are effective against some E.Coli species, with a triple antibiotic combination (ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim) resulting in a 97% effectiveness against E.Coli species in the laboratory with no clinical trials reported for this combination. This study found that the antibiotic rifampin eliminated 85% of the species. This agrees with reports from other studies reporting varying success of this antibiotic for CD8. Similar results are seen with Rifaximin, a member of the rifampin family.

E. Coli is a difficult bacteria to eliminate. Many antibiotics have significant impact on beneficial species in multiple families which can result in easy establishment of other invasive species. Fecal transplants for CD are being trialed at the Centre for Digestive Diseases in Australia.

Recently there have been several studies of traditional medicines (“herbs”) where items were identified to be effective against E.Coli. This book looks at the possible use of herbs and probiotics to correct the reported gut bacteria dysfunction seen in CD.

Fecal Transplants

There have been a significant number of studies reporting success. including:

And on the negative side, there are some risks:

“After FMT, the modification of the composition of the microbiota can be seen with an increase in the presence of the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes species”

There are some reviews on the transplants for related conditions:

While I believe the benefit/risk ratio is very favorable, the newness of this therapy and the lack of large scale studies will result in reluctance by many MDs to advocate or perform this procedure.  The nature of this therapy and ‘Victorian Sense of cleanliness’ may result in a very slow adoption and even banning by law (due to it’s grossness — not due to any science). Note: FMT has shown the same effectiveness for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

This leads us to a second approach (which can be done concurrently with the above) – modifying via probiotics. “After FMT, the modification of the composition of the microbiota can be seen with an increase in the presence of the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes species” [2014]. If we can induce the same shift via prebiotics, appropriate foods and probiotics then FMT may not be needed. Even if FMT is done, I believe that monthly analysis (via ubione, etc) is strongly recommended and appropriate supplementation done.  This is my focus.

Better Microbiome Analysis

Over the last year new technology and citizen scientist initiatives (http://americangut.org/ , http://ubiome.com/)have provided greater insight into the bacteria shifts. What do we know today? An excellent start is this 2014 paper, The Treatment-Naive Microbiome in New-Onset Crohn’s Disease

 

Low indicates either low count or low diversity or both compared to healthy controls

Species Change References
E.Coli Extremely High ..
Peptostreptococcus High ..
Bacteroides fragilis High ..
Enterobacteriaceae High [2014] [2014]
Pasteurellacaea High [2014] [2014]
 Veillonellaceae High [2014] [2014]
Fusobacteriaceae High [2014] [2014]
Firmicutes Low [2005]
bifidobacteria Low [2014]
faecalibacterium praunsitzii Low ..
Erysipelotrichales Low [2014] [2014]
Clostridiales Low [2014] [2014]
Bacteroidales Low [2014] [2014]
Neisseriaceas High [2014]
Gemellaceae High [2014]

Graphics

From: The Treatment-Naive Microbiome in New-Onset Crohn’s Disease [2014]

That’s it for this post, next is looking at the E.Coli dimension and what can be done about it.

Unknown's avatar lassesen 12:39 am on April 6, 2014  

Microbiome, age-related cognitive loss and dementia

This week I had a one hour interview with a person from the National Psoriasis Organization, they are planning to have the microbiome aspect to psoriasis featured in one of their issues this summer.  During the interview I mentioned that not only was I full recovered from CFS, but actually suspect that my cognitive abilities are better than before the last onset.

We know that moods and other cognitive dimensions can be greatly influence by the microbiome. A few examples:

I know from personal experience that executive function, memory and speed of thought can be greatly influenced by gut bacteria — my own SPECT scan presenting similar to Alzheimer’s disease concurrent with memory issue is a clear demonstration (also see Alzheimer‘s disease and the microbiome. [2013]); and the disappearance of the same with the use of appropriate probiotics. It  raises the issue whether some Alzheimer’s and other dementia diagnosis may be due to microbiome shifts alone. In other words, they may be very treatable.

We also see the microbiome changing “above the age of 55-65 y, populations of bifidobacteria are known to decrease markedly”[2012],  bifidobacteria decline is also seen in CFS.

From this study [2013] we have the top left image showing a major shift of the microbiome with age.

Meta-analyses of studies of the human microbiota

Bottom Line

I believe that the supplementation by various probiotics, especially Bifidobacterium and Prescript-Assist, shifts my gut to a younger profile and thus restore me to better than I was. All speculation, but something to consider.

If you are dealing with someone suffering from mild dementia or cognitive issues, you may wish to see if appropriate probiotic supplementation will help. A good starting point may be to get their microbiome via ubiome.com or AmericanGut.org.