Evaluation of Changes in Gastric Ph and Gastrine Concentrations in Horses Subjected to Inhalatory General Anesthesia in Dorsal Decubitus

Background: In high-performance horses, it is reported that 50 to 90% have stomach disorders, especially gastritis and gastric ulceration, which compromises both, athletic performances, and health status. This work aims to stablish changes in gastric pH and gastrin hormone in horses submitted to general inhalation anesthesia and in supine position, to determine the occurrence of duodenogastric and gastroesophageal reflux. Eight mares fasted for eight hours, subjected to inhaled anesthesia and in supine position were monitored during the anesthetic period. Gastric pH, arterial blood gases and vital signs data were recorded.Results: In the post-anesthetic period, gastric pH was evaluated for 24 h, samples were collected at one-hour intervals. In addition, blood samples were collected for gastrin hormone evaluation before the anesthetic procedure (8-hour fast), during the anesthetic recovery period, and four months after the anesthetic procedure, 90 minutes after the morning meal. Gastric pH during the anesthetic period remained within physiological values (mean value 4.52 ± 1.69), without changes between times (p > 0.05). After anesthesia, mean gastric pH values increased, remaining alkaline during the 24 h of evaluation, differences between T0 (4.88±2.38), T5 (7.08±0.89), T8 (7,43±0,22), T9(7,28±0,36), T11 (7.26±0.71), T13 (6.74±0.90), and T17 (6.94±1.04) (p < 0.05) were observed. There was an increase in gastrin hormone in the post-anesthetic period (20.15±7.65 pg/ml) compared to baseline (15.15±3.82 pg/ml) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results obtained demonstrate that general inhalational anesthesia and dorsal decubitus in horses, for 90 min, promotes gastric pH alkalinization for 24hours after anesthesia, possibly induced by entero-gastric reflux. Therefore, gastric mucosa protectors should be considered preventively when horses are submitted to general anesthesia and supine.

Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria From Tape and Jember Tempeh as a Probiotic Candidate

Probiotics are microbes in fermented foods that have beneficial effects on health. Microbes that act as probiotics are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that can produce metabolites such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins. This study aimed to obtain lactic acid bacterial isolates from tape and tempeh, and to test the potential of LAB as a probiotic candidate by activity test as an antidiarrhea and its resistance to gastric pH and bile salts. The fermentation products used as a source of LAB isolates are tempeh sumber mas merk, and yellow cassava tape, sari madu merk from Jember. The results of the first stage regarding the isolation of LAB using GYP media showed that there were 2 LAB isolates (TaJ.14 and TaJ.15) from the tape and 4 LAB isolates (TeJ.18, TeJ.22, TeJ.24, and TeJ.25) from tempeh. The results of the antidiarrheal test using the disc diffusion method (oxoid) showed that TaJ.14 and TaJ.15 isolates were able to inhibit Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysentriae, while TeJ.18, TeJ.22, TeJ.24, TeJ.25, and Lactobacillus casei (control) was only able to inhibit B. subtilis and E. coli. The results of LAB resistance to gastric pH showed that the TeJ.25 isolate had the highest percentage of pH 3 and 2.5 resistance (51.13 and 33.03%) compared to other isolates and controls. LAB resistance test results against bile salts (oxgal) showed that the TeJ.22 isolate had the highest percentage of resistance (75.10%) compared to other isolates although was still higher in control (75.99%).

Effect of Trianthema triquetra Rottl. ex Willed (Aizoaceae) on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in experimental rats

Trianthema triquetra Rottl. Ex.Willed (T. triquetra) is a medicinal plant that belongs to the family Aizoaceae. The plant has been used traditionally as fodder, as a remedy for chronic ulcer, fever, and healing wounds. Therefore, the present study was intended to investigate the anti-ulcer ability of different fractions of T. triquetra to verify its folklore use in ulcer cure. Acute oral toxicity of all the fractions of T. triquetra was evaluated at a dose of 2g/kg b.wt. Anti-ulcer potential of nbutanol (TTB), chloroform (TTC), ethyl acetate (TTEA) and aqueous (TTA) fraction of crude methanolic extract of T. triquetra was assessed by using ethanol- induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Omeprazole at a dose of 20 mg/kg b.wt. was used as standard drug. After 1 hour of administration of all the fractions of T. triquetra, at a dosage of 300mg/kg b.wt., the gastric ulcer was induced in all animals by administering absolute ethanol (1mL/animal) orally except normal control group. After an hour, all the rats were sacrificed. Ulcer index, % age of ulcer inhibition, gastric pH, gastric volume, total acidity, gastric wall protein, gastric wall mucus and histopathology of the stomach wall of rats were assessed. All fractions of T. triquetra showed a substantial decrease in ulcer index and improvement in percentage inhibition compared to the disease control group. There was a rise in the amount of gastric wall mucus content, total protein content, gastric pH and a decrease in gastric volume and total acidity. Histopathological studies showed severe mucosal injury, leucocyte infiltration and edema in the disease control group compared to omeprazole and plant fractions treated animal groups. The present work encourages the conventional use of T. triquetra in the cure of ulcers.

Increased microbial phytase increased phytate destruction, plasma inositol, and feed efficiency of weanling pigs, but reduced dietary calcium and phosphorus did not affect gastric pH or fecal score and reduced growth performance and bone ash

An experiment was conducted to test 2 hypotheses: 1) reducing dietary Ca and P reduces gastric pH and diarrhea in weanling pigs; 2) negative effects of low Ca and P on pig growth performance may be overcome if phytase is added to the diets. A total of 320 weanling pigs (6.35 ± 0.87 kg) were allotted to 8 corn-soybean meal-based diets in a randomized complete block design with 5 pigs per pen. Two phase 1 (d 1 to 14) control diets containing 100 or 50% of total Ca and digestible P relative to the requirement, and 6 diets in which 500, 2,000, or 16,000 units of phytase/kg feed (FTU) were added to each control diet were formulated. Phytase was assumed to release 0.16% total Ca and 0.11% digestible P. Common diets were fed in phases 2 (d 15 to 27) and 3 (d 28 to 42). Growth performance data were recorded within each phase. Data for fecal scores and gastrointestinal pH were recorded for phase 1. Colon content (d 14), the right femur (d 14 and 42), and blood samples (d -1, 14, 27, and 42) were collected from 1 pig per pen. In phase 1, reducing Ca and P did not reduce gastric pH or fecal score, but pigs fed the 50% diets had reduced (P &lt; 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared with pigs fed the 100% diets. In both 50 and 100% diets, phytase above 500 FTU increased (P &lt; 0.05) gain:feed ratio (G:F) and tended (P &lt; 0.10) to reduce gastric pH of pigs. From d 1 to 42, pigs fed the 50% diets tended (P &lt; 0.10) to have reduced ADG and ADFI compared with pigs fed the 100% diets, but among the 100% diets, pigs tended (P &lt; 0.10) to have a linear increase in G:F as phytase level increased. Pigs fed the 50% diets had reduced (P &lt; 0.05) concentrations of inositol phosphate esters (IP) in the colon and reduced bone ash (d 14 and 42) compared with pigs fed the 100% diets. Phytase did not affect bone ash or most blood metabolites. Concentrations of IP in the colon decreased, whereas plasma inositol increased (d 14; P &lt; 0.05) in pigs fed diets with phytase (≥ 500 FTU). In pigs fed the 100% diets, IP in the colon linearly decreased (P &lt; 0.05), but plasma inositol linearly increased (P &lt; 0.05) with increasing levels of phytase. In conclusion, reducing Ca and P in diets for weanling pigs did not influence gastric pH or fecal score, but compromised growth performance and bone ash. However, regardless of dietary Ca and P, high doses of phytase increased phytate degradation and inositol absorption, which consequently increased G:F of pigs.

Helicobacter pylori infection and hypochlorhydria in Zambian adults and children: A secondary data analysis

Background Hypochlorhydria (gastric pH >4) increases susceptibility to diarrhoea, iron deficiency, and gastric cancer. We sought to clarify the prevalence of this condition and its predisposing factors in Zambia by pooling data from previous studies conducted in hospital and community settings. Methods Gastric pH was measured in participants from five separate studies by collecting gastric aspirate from fasted adults and children under 3 years of age undergoing gastroscopy. Gastric pH was correlated with serological testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections. Results We studied 597 individuals (487 adults and 110 children). Hypochlorhydria was present in 53% of adults and 31% of children. HIV infection was detected in 41% of adults and 11% of children. H. pylori serology was available for 366 individuals: 93% of adults and 6% of children were seropositive. In univariate analysis, hypochlorhydria was significantly associated with HIV seropositivity (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2–2.4; p = 0.004) and H. pylori antibody seropositivity (OR 4.9; 95% CI 2.8–8.6; p<0.0001), and with advancing age in HIV negative individuals (p = 0.0001). In multivariable analysis, only H. pylori was associated with hypochlorhydria (OR 4.0; 95% CI 2.2–7.2; p<0.0001) while excluding possible exposure to proton pump inhibitors. Conclusions Hypochlorhydria is common in our population, with H. pylori being the dominant factor. Only young HIV seronegative individuals had a low prevalence of hypochlorhydria. This may have implications for the risk of other health conditions including gastric cancer.

Evaluation of Anti-Ulcer Activity of Garcinia cambogia in Experimentally Induced Ulcer in Rats

Peptic ulcer is the most common gastrointestinal disorder that world faces at present. Garcinia cambogia is one of the folk plants used by the people to treat various ailments to attain health benefits. Every part of the plant has various activities which can eradicate maximum health issues. The present study is aimed to investigate the gastro-protective and anti-ulcerogenic activity of ethanolic extract of Garcinia cambogia. The ethanolic extract was tested orally in doses of 200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg which was obtained from the acute oral toxicity studies on gastric ulcerations experimentally induced by pylorus ligation and ethanol in rats. Comparison of the drug effect is done with the effect of standard drugs, omeprazole (30 mg/kg) and sucralfate (100 mg/kg). The parameters like gastric pH, gastric acid volume, total acidity, free acidity and ulcer index are assessed.The ethanolic extract showed an activity in a dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg with a reduction in the gastric volume, total acidity, free acidity, ulcer index and raise in the gastric pH when compared to that of ulcer control group. A gastro-protective and anti-ulcerogenic activity is shown by the extract of Garcinia cambogia both in ethanol induced ulcer model and pylorus ligated ulcer model.At the concluding point, extract of Garcinia cambogia was found to possess a very good gastroprotective and anti-ulcerogenic property. The results of the study revealed the further uses of the leaves of this plant in the treatment of ulcers in the stomach.

Bioequivalence of Oral Drug Products in the Healthy and Special Populations: Assessment and Prediction Using a Newly Developed In Vitro System “BE Checker”

In order to assess and predict the bioequivalence (BE) of oral drug products, a new in vitro system “BE checker” was developed, which reproduced the environmental changes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by changing the pH, composition, and volume of the medium in a single chamber. The dissolution and membrane permeation profiles of drugs from marketed products were observed in the BE checker under various conditions reflecting the inter-patient variations of the GI physiology. As variable factors, initial gastric pH, gastric emptying time, and GI agitation strength were varied in vitro. Dipyridamole, a basic drug, showed rapid and supersaturated dissolution when the paddle speed in the donor chamber was 200 rpm, which corresponds to the high agitation strength in the stomach. In contrast, supersaturated dissolution disappeared, and the permeated amount decreased under the conditions with a slow paddle speed (100 and 50 rpm) and short gastric emptying time (10 min). In those conditions, disintegration of the formulation was delayed, and the subsequent dissolution of dipyridamole was not completed before the fluid pH was changed to neutral. Similar results were obtained when the initial gastric pH was increased to 3.0, 5.0, and 6.5. To investigate that those factors also affect the BE of oral drug products, dissolution and permeation of naftopidil from its ordinary and orally disintegrating (OD) tablets were observed in the BE checker. Both products showed the similar dissolution profiles when the paddle speed and gastric emptying time were set to 100 rpm and 10 or 20 min, respectively. However, at a low paddle speed (50 rpm), the dissolution of naftopidil from ordinary tablets was slower than that from the OD tablets, and the permeation profiles became dissimilar. These results indicated the possibility of the bioinequivalence of some oral formulations in special patients whose GI physiologies are different from those in the healthy subjects. The BE checker can be a highly capable in vitro tool to assess the BE of oral drug products in various populations.

Reduced concentrations of limestone and monocalcium phosphate in diets without or with microbial phytase did not influence gastric pH, fecal score, or growth performance, but reduced bone ash and serum albumin in weanling pigs

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that reducing limestone and monocalcium phosphate in diets for weanling pigs by lowering the concentration of Ca and P or by including microbial phytase in the diet will reduce stomach pH and fecal score and will improve growth performance of pigs. A total of 160 weanling pigs (5.75 ± 1.04 kg) were allotted to 4 corn-soybean meal-based diets in a completely randomized design with 5 pigs per pen. Diets for phase 1 (d 1 to 15) were formulated using a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 concentrations of Ca and P (adequate or deficient levels of total Ca and digestible P) and 2 inclusion levels of phytase (0 or 2,000 units/kg feed). Phytase was assumed to release 0.16% total Ca and 0.11% digestible P. Common diets were fed in phases 2 (d 16 to 21) and 3 (d 22 to 35). Fecal scores were recorded in phase 1 and on d 15, gastric pH was measured and a blood sample and the right femur were collected from 1 pig per pen. Growth performance data were recorded within each phase. Results indicated that in phase 1, at deficient dietary Ca and P, pigs fed the diet with phytase had greater (P &lt; 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed (G:F) compared with pigs fed the diet without phytase, but in diets with adequate levels of Ca and P, no effect of phytase inclusion was observed (interaction, P &lt; 0.05). Without phytase, pigs fed the diet with deficient Ca and P had reduced (P &lt; 0.05) G:F compared with pigs fed the diet with adequate Ca and P, but if phytase was included, there was no effect of Ca and P on G:F (interaction, P &lt; 0.05). For phases 2 and 3, and from d 1 to 35, no differences among dietary treatments were observed for ADG or G:F. Bone ash was greater (P &lt; 0.05) in pigs fed diets with adequate Ca and P than in pigs fed diets with deficient Ca and P, but no effect of phytase inclusion was observed on bone ash. Concentrations of Ca and P did not affect stomach pH or fecal score, but pigs fed diets with phytase tended (P &lt; 0.10) to have reduced stomach pH and fecal score compared with pigs fed diets without phytase. Pigs fed diets with adequate Ca and P had greater (P &lt; 0.05) albumin in serum than pigs fed the Ca- and P-deficient diets. In conclusion, phytase inclusion in phase 1 diets may reduce diarrhea, but lowering Ca and P does not reduce stomach pH or fecal score and decreases bone ash, although growth performance during the entire weanling period is not affected.