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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2014; 20(34): 12301-12307
Published online Sep 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i34.12301
Published online Sep 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i34.12301
Resolution of acute gastroenteritis symptoms in children and adults treated with a novel polyphenol-based prebiotic
Telma Noguera, Instituto Centroamericano de Investigación Clínica, Managua 050-008-4, Nicaragua
Robert Wotring, Chris R Melville, Kara Hargraves, Greenteaspoon Inc, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Jochen Kumm, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
John M Morton, Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Author contributions: Noguera T, Wotring R and Morton JM conceived and designed the study; Wotring R, Melville CR and Hargraves K performed the search of literature; Noguera T and Wotring R acquired the data; Kumm J, Morton JM and Wotring R analyzed and interpreted data; Wotring R, Melville CR and Hargraves K drafted the article; Morton JM, Noguera T and Kumm J revised for critical content; all authors reviewed the manuscript and approved it.
Correspondence to: John M Morton, MD, MPH, Chief of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, H3680, Stanford, CA 94305, United States. research@greenteaspoon.com
Telephone: +1-650-6445377 Fax: +1-650-6445377
Received: November 20, 2013
Revised: May 15, 2014
Accepted: June 12, 2014
Published online: September 14, 2014
Revised: May 15, 2014
Accepted: June 12, 2014
Published online: September 14, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: The global standard of care for treating acute gastroenteritis in children is 5-10 d of oral rehydration therapy, which saves lives and may reduce the duration of the illness by 20%. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 60% of subjects treated with a novel polyphenol-based prebiotic experienced their last unformed stool within 2 h vs 25% of the placebo treated subjects, and 89% within 24 h vs 38% of the placebo treated group. This represents a potentially extraordinary advance in the clinical management of acute gastroenteritis. If these results can be confirmed in additional studies with different populations, this treatment should become the new global standard of care.