Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Sep 2007
ReviewSystematic review: racecadotril in the treatment of acute diarrhoea in children.
Racecadotril (acetorphan) is an antisecretory drug that exerts its antidiarrhoeal effects by inhibiting intestinal enkephalinase. ⋯ The small number of included trials provided some evidence in favour of the use of racecadotril over placebo or no intervention, to reduce the stool output and duration of diarrhoea in children with acute gastroenteritis. However, more data in out-patients are needed. The safety as well as the cost-effectiveness of the therapy should be explored, before routine therapy with racecadotril is recommended.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Sep 2007
Review article: yeast as probiotics -- Saccharomyces boulardii.
Probiotics are defined as live micro-organisms which confer a health benefit on the host. Although most probiotics are bacteria, one strain of yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii, has been found to be an effective probiotic in double-blind clinical studies. ⋯ Saccharomyces boulardii is a strain of yeast which has been extensively studied for its probiotic effects. The clinical activity of S. boulardii is especially relevant to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and recurrent Clostridium difficile intestinal infections. Experimental studies clearly demonstrate that S. boulardii has specific probiotic properties, and recent data has opened the door for new therapeutic uses of this yeast as an 'immunobiotic'.