ABSTRACT
Hepatotoxic effect related to Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi) mushroom powder was first described in a patient from Hong Kong in 2004. In 2005, the authors experienced a case of fatal fulminant hepatitis associated with such a preparation. Both patients had taken other therapeutic agents and traditionally boiled Lingzhi without any toxic effect. After switching to taking Lingzhi in powder form for 1-2 months, the hepatotoxic episode occurred in both patients. The toxic role of Lingzhi powder needs close monitoring in the future, especially in combination with other drugs.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/poisoning , Fatal Outcome , Female , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology , Humans , Liver/pathology , Liver Failure, Acute/etiology , Middle Aged , Powders , Wound HealingABSTRACT
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a defect or a change in bowel habits. Subtle inflammation, especially after infectious enteritis, has been sometimes suspected as one mechanism of pathogenesis. This research was performed (1) to evaluate the prevalence of parasitic infections and (2) the possible association of IBS and parasitic infections. Fifty-nine IBS patients were recruited using symptom-based criteria (Rome Criteria II) with an absence of intestinal parasitic infection by direct smear method. Stool samples of individual patients were examined using 7 methods, ie examination for stool occult blood, simple saline smear method, formalin-ether technique, culture for Blastocystis hominis, modified trichrome stain, modified Ziehl-Neelsen method, and trichrome stain for parasitic and bacterial infections. Of the 59 patients, stool samples of 13 patients (22.1%) were positive for parasites. These were B. hominis (13.6%), Strongyloides stercoralis larvae (1.7%), Giardia lamblia cysts (1.7%), and non-pathogenic protozoa, ie Endolimax nana cysts (5.1%). The prevalence rate of parasitic infections in the control group (20%) was not statistically different from the patients. There was no statistical difference between B. hominis infection in IBS patients and control was found in this study (p = 0.87). In the IBS group, B. hominis infection predominated (13.6%), while other parasitic infections were found in 8.5%. The culture method for B. hominis is more sensitive than the direct (simple) stool smear method, which is the routine diagnostic method in most laboratories. These results were also found in control group.
Subject(s)
Animals , Blastocystis Infections/diagnosis , Blastocystis hominis/isolation & purification , Case-Control Studies , Endolimax/isolation & purification , Feces/parasitology , Female , Giardia lamblia/isolation & purification , Humans , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/epidemiology , Male , Prevalence , Strongyloides stercoralis/isolation & purification , Thailand/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Histology of gastric biopsy specimens from 213 patients was studied. Microscopic observation of hematoxylin & eosin stained sections was the main method for identification of Helicobacter pylori. Results of 200 cases were compared with biochemical test, Gram's stain and culture of concurrent specimens. Relations between presence of H. pylori and gastric pathology were analyzed. Histologic presence of H. pylori is significantly correlated with presence and activity of gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.