[The high fermentative capacity of colonic bacteria in the origin of flatulence and its sensibility to bismuth subsalicylate].

Abstract

Using a previously described technique, "in vitro" determinations were carried out for faecal fermentation (FF): basal faecal fermentation (BFF), i.e, only with faeces, with faeces and lactulose (LFF) and with faeces, lactulose and bismuth subsalicylate (BiLFF) in 34 patients with flatulence. The media+d.s. of the difference between the LFFand BFF levels (LFF-BFF) in patients with flatulence was significant and markedly higher than the respective media +d.s. in 30 normal control patients previously studied (9.1+4.7 vs. 3.9+3.2 ml gas/24 hrs; p<0.000001 respectively). And, although FF was reduced by adding bismuth salicylate in only 24% (70.6%) of the patients with flatulence but not in the remaining 10 (29.4%), in total the media+d.s. of the differences between the levels BiLFF and BFF (BiLFFBFF) was significantly lower that the media+d.s. of the differences between the LFF and BFF levels (LFF-BFF) (6.0+4.2 vs 9.1+4.7 ml gas/24 hrs; p<0.01 respectively). These results confirm that: 1) The fermentative capacity of the colonic bacteriae is most likely to be abnormally intense in peoples with flatulence and 2) Bismuth subsalicylate can be useful in the control of excessive colonic fermentation and flatulence; they raise, furthermore, the interesting possibility that we may have found the way to predict when the use of bismuth subsalicylate could be effective in the treatment of a patient with flatulence.

• Authors: Raúl León-Barúa, Maritza Alvarez De Roig, Javier Roig-Arosemena, Roberto Berendson-Seminario, Hernando Torres-Zevallos
• Journal: Revista de gastroenterologia del Peru : organo oficial de la Sociedad de Gastroenterologia del Peru (Rev Gastroenterol Peru) 2007 Jan-Mar Vol. 27 Issue 1 Pg. 21-4 ISSN: 1022-5129 [Print] Peru
• Vernacular Title: Alta capacidad fermentativa de las bacterias colónicas en la génesis de la flatulencia, y su sensibilidad al subsalicilato de bismuto.
• PMID: 17431432 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Salicylates
• Bismuth Salicylate

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Colon (microbiology)
• Feces (microbiology)
• Female
• Fermentation (drug effects)
• Flatulence (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Salicylates (pharmacology, therapeutic use)