The Low FODMAP Diet and Its Application in East and Southeast Asia

There is growing interest in using food choice/dietary change to influence clinical outcomes in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The low fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) diet is an evidence-based approach that is gaining popularity in many Western countries. The low FODMAP diet is based on restricting dietary intake of short chain carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed or indigestible and not absorbed during passage through the small intestine. These are collectively described as "FODMAPs" and comprise oligosaccharides (mostly fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides), sugar polyols, fructose in excess of glucose, and lactose in lactose malabsorbers. The general strategy of the diet is to avoid foods high in FODMAPs and replace them with foods low in FODMAPs, with long-term restriction limited to what is required to control symptoms. The likely mechanism of action is minimisation of the stimulation of mechanoreceptors exerted by distension of the intestinal lumen with water from osmotic effects and gases from bacterial fermentation in those with visceral hypersensitivity. The success of this dietary approach greatly depends on detailed knowledge about the FODMAP composition of food commonly consumed in that country. While the content of foods associated with East and Southeast Asian cuisines has not been fully explored, major high FODMAP sources are frequently used and include onion, garlic, shallots, legumes/pulses, and wheat-based products. Thus, this dietary approach holds great promise in treating IBS patients in East and Southeast Asia. The aim of this review is to highlight how the diet is implemented, its efficacy, and troublesome ingredients frequently used in Asian dishes.

Hypoglycemic effects of three medicinal plants in experimental diabetes: inhibition of rat intestinal alpha -glucosidase and enhanced pancreatic insulin and cardiac glut-4 mRNAs expression

Garlic [Allium sativum L., Alliaceae], Persian shallot [Allium ascalonicum L., Alliaceae] and Sage [Salvia offcinalis L., Lamiaceae] are believed to have hypoglycemic properties and have been used traditionally as antidiabetic herbal medicines in Iran. In this study, diabetes was induced by subcutaneous injection of alloxan monohydrate [100 mg kg[-1]] to male Wistar rats. Antidiabetic effects of methanolic extracts of the above mentioned three plants on alloxan-diabetic rats was investigated in comparison with the effects of antidiabetic drugs such as acarbose, glibenclamide and metformin by measuring postprandial blood glucose [PBG], oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT], inhibition of rat intestinal alpha -glucosidase enzymes activities and pancreatic Insulin and cardiac Glut-4 mRNAs expression. In short term period, hypoglycemic effects of A. sativum and A. ascalonicum showed significant reduction of PBG similar to glibenclamide [5 mg kg[-1] bw] while S. offcinalis significantly reduced PBG similar to acarbose [20 mg kg[-1] bw]. After 3 weeks of treatment by methanolic plant extracts, significant chronic decrease in the PBG was observed similar to metformin [100 mg kg[-1] bw]. For OGTT, S. offcinalis reduced PBG in a similar way as acarbose [20 mg kg[-1] bw]. Intestinal sucrase and maltase activities were inhibited significantly by A. sativum, A. ascalonicum and S. offcinalis. In addition, we observed increased expression of Insulin and Glut-4 genes in diabetic rats treated with these plants extracts. Up regulation of Insulin and Glut-4 genes expression and inhibition of alpha -glucosidaseactivities are the two mechanisms that play a considerable role in hypoglycemic action of garlic, shallot and sage

[Study of antibacterial effects of hydro - alcoholic extract of 8 medicinal herbs against vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus]

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the leading bacterial species causing infection in human. This species is or becoming resistant to many antibiotics, including vancomycin. As vancomycin is one of the antibiotics used as a last resort for the treatment of the infections caused by S. aureus, therefore identification and application of new effective antibacterial compounds is of utmost importance. In this study, the anti VRSA effects of the hydro alcoholic extracts of 8 Iranian medicinal plants including bulb of Allium ascalonicum, Allium sativum, leave of Utica dioica, Falcaria vulgari, Achillea millefolium and Trigonella foenum and seeds of Trigonella foenum and Brassica alba were surveyed. The effects were studied using disk diffusion method and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was determined using micro dilution broth methods against 15 VRSA strains. Among the extracts, the most effective was Allium ascalonicum bulb: MIC 50: 128 micro g/ml and Achillea millefolium had the least effect: MIC 50: 1000 micro g/ml. As VRSA strains are widespread in the world and treatment of the causative infections is becoming a major problem in medicine, these results, especially results of anti VRSA effects of Allium ascalonicum bulb extract, might be very helpful but clinical application of these extracts and identification of the fractions need further study

Invitro antitrichomonas activity of Allium hirtifolium [Persian Shallot] in comparison with metronidazole

Trichomonas vaginalis infection is a sexually transmitted infection causing vaginitis and acute inflammatory disease of the genital mucosa. Although Metronidazole resistance in T. vaginalis is well documented, The only drug approved for the treatment of trichomoniasis in some countries is metronidazole. Genus Allium plants including garlic; shallot and onion have had an important medicinal role for centuries. Some study have proven antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal and antihelmintic properties of genus Allium plants. at first PSHE and PSDE [persian shallot hydroalcoholic and dichlromethanic extract] was prepared in ethanol/water [50:50] and dichlromethane respectively at cool temperature [10°C]. genus Allium plants extracts were shown to decrease the oxygen uptake, reduce the growth of the organism, inhibit the synthesis of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids and damage membranes. In this study the Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations [MICs] of PSHE, PSDE and metronidazole respectively were 10, 5 and 2micro g/ml. Persian shallot inhibited growth of T. vaginalis at low concentrations and in short times, therefore this plant have some antitrichomonas components [including allicin, ajoene and other organosulfides] that antimicrobial properties of these was proven

Induction of apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells by isoliquritizenin / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Isoliquritizenin (ISL) is a chalcone flavonoid, present in licorice, shallot and bean sprouts, has cancer preventing properties and often used in chinese medicine. In this study, ISL to determine its effect on cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in human cervical cancer cells were evaluated. METHODS: Cell viability assay was carried out to determine the viability of human cervical cancer cells. We tested the several experimental methods for verification and functional identification, including MTT assay, FACS analysis, DNA fragmentation assay, and Western blot analysis for ISL treated human cervical cancer cells (HeLa). RESULTS: ISL, induced growth inhibition in a dose dependent manner, treatment with 50 microM/L ISL blocked 50% cell growth. FACS results showed that there was no change in the S phase, but on the other hand ISL increased the percentage of cells in G1 phase. DNA fragmentation assay by ELISA was done to find the rate of apoptosis. Apoptosis took place but in a reduced manner. From Western blot analysis, it revealed ISL induced the expression of p21(Cip1/Waf1) and p27(kip1) but not mediated by p53. Caspase pathway was revealed and cleavage of PARP took place. CONCLUSION: ISL, a chalcone flavonoid, inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at sub G1 by enhancing the production of p21(Cip1/Waf1) and p27(kip1). These results indicate that ISL will be a promising agent for use in chemopreventive or therapeutic against human cervical cancer cells.

Heat stable antimicrobial activity of Allium ascalonicum against bacteria and fungi.

To study antimicrobial activity of shallot in comparison with that of garlic and onion against 23 strains of fungi and bacteria, water extracts of garlic, shallot and onion bulbs were prepared. Each extract was studied in different forms for their antimicrobial activity viz., fresh extract, dry extract and autoclaved extract. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal lethal concentrations of these extracts were determined against all organisms by broth dilution susceptibility test. Fresh extract of garlic showed greater antimicrobial activity as compared to similar extracts of onion and shallot. However, dried and autoclaved extracts of shallot showed more activity than similar extracts of onion and garlic. Fungi were more sensitive to shallot extract than bacteria. Amongst bacteria, B. cereus was most sensitive (MIC=5 mg ml(-1)). The lowest minimum bactericidal concentration of shallot extract amongst bacteria tested was 5 mg ml(-1) for B. cereus. Amongst fungi, Aureobasidium pullulans and Microsporum gypseum were most sensitive (MIC= 0.15 mg ml(-1)). The lowest minimum lethal concentration was 2.5 mg ml(-1) for Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. It was therefore, expected that the antimicrobial principle of shallot was different than the antimicrobial compounds of onion and garlic. In addition, the antimicrobial component of the shallot extract was stable at 121 degrees C.

In Vitro antibacterial activity of Shallot [Allium ascalonicum] crude juice

Shallot [Allium hirtifolium Bosis] belongs to genus Liliaceae There is more than 500 species in this genus. Shallot produces a cluster of bulbs from a single planted bulb. This plant has been used as an additive in foods for many years, but there is little study about antibacterial activity of Shallot. The aim of this study was to determine antibacterial activity of Shallot against clinical isolated bacteria. Crude juice of shallot [Allium hirtifolium] was tested for it's growth inhibitory effect on 4 Gram-negative and 2Gram-positive species Minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] was determined using dilution method. All test organisms were inhibited by shallot juice. The MIC for Gram-negative enteric rods including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis ranged between 78-624 micro /ml. while the MIC for pseudomonas aeruginosa was 20-80mg/ml.The MIC for Gram -positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus strains and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were 156-312 micro /ml and 19.5-78 micro /ml respectively. It is concluded that Crude juice of shallot has antibacterial activity against both gram positive cocci and Gram-negate rods. It is believed that antibacterial activity of shallot depends on its thiosulfinate components