This study focused on evaluating a technique for the psyllium husk mucilage (PHM) purification with simultaneous microencapsulation of curcumin. PHM was extracted with water and purified with ethanol. For the mucilage purification and simultaneous microencapsulation, an ethanolic solution of curcumin was used. After dehydration, the samples were analysed by instrumental techniques and evaluated...

The effect of ispaghula husk on colonic motility of the right and left side was examined in 10 patients with left sided diverticular disease using an untethered pressure sensitive radiotelemetry capsule. After treatment, ispaghula husk reduced mouth to rectum transit by a median of 8.8 hours and the time to midtransverse colon by five hours. In the right colon there was an increase in the media...

Intervention Participants were allocated to receive 31 days of dietary fibre supplementation with psyllium, 7.1 g/day (n=13), or gum arabic, 25 g/day (n=13); or placebo given as pectin, 0.25 g/day (n=13). Supplementation was mixed into fruit juice and divided into 2 servings for consumption during the morning and evening meals. Participants were instructed to maintain their usual diet, and thos...

H emorrhoids are a very common condition. Hospitalbased proctoscopy studies show prevalence rates of hemorrhoids in up to 86 percent of patients studied with many in an asymptomatic state. Botanicals used internally and topically can treat early stages of hemorrhoids effectively and can be used as adjuncts in more advanced stages when surgical treatments may be necessary. The roles of butcher’s...

CONTEXT Although unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) are used as single plants to manage diabetes mellitus in Nigeria, the possibility of combining them in a typical diabetic diet and the glycemic response elicited as a result of such combination has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of unripe plantain and ginger on serum total proteins, ...

BACKGROUND The seeds of Plantago ovata (psyllium, ispaghula) used in the manufacture of bulk laxatives are known to be the cause of occupational allergy (rhinitis, asthma) in health care and pharmaceutical workers. OBJECTIVE We studied the prevalence of P ovata seed allergy among health care workers in geriatric care homes and compared it with a group of health care professionals not exposed ...