title: Treatment of ulcerative colitis by feeding with germinated barley foodstuff: first report of a multicenter open control trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) is a prebiotic foodstuff that effectively increases luminal butyrate production by stimulating the growth of protective bacteria. In the first pilot study, GBF has been shown to reduce both clinical activity and mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of GBF in the treatment of UC in a multicenter open control trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients with mildly to moderately active UC were divided into two groups using a random allocation protocol. The control group (n = 7) were given a baseline anti-inflammatory therapy for 4 weeks. In the GBF-treated group (n = 11), patients received 20-30 g GBF daily, together with the baseline treatment, for 4 weeks. The response to the treatments was evaluated clinically and endoscopically. Fecal microflora were also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 4 weeks of observation, the GBF-treated group showed a significant decrease in clinical activity index scores compared with the control group (P < 0.05). No side effects related to GBF were observed. GBF therapy increased fecal concentrations of Bifidobacterium and Eubacterium limosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral GBF therapy may have the potency to reduce clinical activity of UC. We believe that these results support the use of GBF administration as a new adjunct therapy for UC.
authors.affiliation: Nutrient Food and Feed Division, Kirin Brewery, 10-1-2 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8288, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kanauchi
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tochihara
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hibi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naganuma
authors.forename: Terasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahama
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiyama
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andoh
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimoyama
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haruma
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsuyama
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bamba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018525:Germination; D001467:Hordeum; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome