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Germinated Barley Foodstuff Prolongs Remission in Patients with
Ulcerative Colitis
Int J Mol Med. 2004 May;13(5):643-7.
Hanai H, Kanauchi O, Mitsuyama K, Andoh A, Takeuchi K, Takayuki I, Araki Y,
Fujiyama Y, Toyonaga A, Sata M, Kojima A, Fukuda M, Bamba T.
Department of Endoscopic and Photodynamic Medicine, Hamamatsu University School
of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
Germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) is a prebiotic which increases luminal
butyrate production by modulating the microfloral distribution. GBF has been
shown to reduce both clinical activity and mucosal damage in active ulcerative
colitis (UC) with mild to moderate activity. However, the efficacy of GBF in
patients with UC during the remission stage is unknown. The aim of this study
was to investigate the efficacy of GBF as a maintenance therapy in patients with
UC while in remission. Fifty-nine patients with UC in remission according to
Rachmilewitz's clinical activity index (CAI) score of </=4 were enrolled and
divided into two groups, control (n=37) and GBF (n=22). Patients in the control
group were given conventional treatment alone for 12 months, while patients in
the GBF group received conventional therapy plus 20 g of GBF daily. The response
to treatments was assessed by monitoring the CAI and endoscopic score according
to Matts. Significantly better CAI values were seen in the GBF group at 3, 6,
and 12 months compared with the values in the control group. The cumulative
recurrence rate in the GBF group with steroid tapering treatment was
significantly lower compared with the value in the control group. No side
effects related to GBF were observed. Germinated Barley Foodstuff appeared to
be effective and safe as a maintenance therapy to taper steroid dose and prolong
remission in patients with UC.
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