Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.

A substantial proportion of patients with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) associate their symptoms with the ingestion of specific foods. Therefore, in recent years, scientific research has increasingly focused on the role of diet in IBS and dietary management is now considered an important tool in IBS treatment. This article reviews the main dietary approaches in IBS emphasizing evidence from experimental and observational studies and summarizing the main diet and lifestyle recommendations provided by dietary guidelines and scientific literature. Despite the limited evidence for a beneficial role, general advice on healthy eating and lifestyle is recommended as the first-line approach in the dietary management of IBS. Standard recommendations include adhering to a regular meal pattern, reducing intake of insoluble fibers, alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and fat, as well as performing regular physical activity and ensuring a good hydration. Second-line dietary approach should be considered where IBS symptoms persist and recommendations include following a low FODMAP diet, to be delivered only by a healthcare professional with expertise in dietary management. The efficacy of this diet is supported by a growing body of evidence. In contrast, the role of lactose or gluten dietary restriction in the treatment of IBS remains subject to ongoing research with a lack of high-quality evidence. Likewise, further clinical trials are needed to conclude the efficacy of probiotics on IBS symptoms.

Influence of Genista Tinctoria L or Methylparaben on Subchronic Toxicity of Bisphenol A in Rats

Objective To evaluate the influence of an extract of Genista tinctoria L. herba （GT） or methylparaben （MP） on histopathological changes and 2 biomarkers of oxidative stress in rats subchronicly exposed to bisphenol A （BPA）. Methods Adult female Wistar rats were orally exposed for 90 d to BPA （50 mg/kg）, BPA＋GT （35 mg isoflavones/kg） or BPA＋MP （250 mg/kg）. Plasma and tissue samples were taken from liver, kidney, thyroid, uterus, ovary, and mammary gland after 30, 60, and 90 d of exposure respectively. Lipid peroxidation and in vivo hydroxyl radical production were evaluated by histological analysis along with malondialdehyde and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid detection. Results The severity of histopathological changes in liver and kidneys was lower after GT treatment than after BPA or BPA＋MP treatment. A minimal thyroid receptor antagonist effect was only observed after BPA＋MP treatment. The abnormal folliculogenesis increased in a time-dependent manner, and the number of corpus luteum decreased. No significant histological alterations were found in the uterus. The mammary gland displayed specific estrogen stimulation changes at all periods. Both MP and GT revealed antioxidant properties reducing lipid peroxidation and BPA-induced hydroxyl radical generation. Conclusion GT L. extract ameliorates the toxic effects of BPA and is proved to have antioxidant potential and antitoxic effect. MP has antioxidant properties, but has either no effect or exacerbates the BPA-induced histopathological changes.