Food Microbiology

Biography

Biography: Yoshihisa Urita

Abstract

Introduction: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gastroduodenal disorder that presents as postprandial fullness, early satiation or epigastric burning despite no evidence of a structural disease that is likely to explain the symptoms for over 6 months. To FD patients we use various therapies, such as administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), Acotiamide, histamine-type 2 receptor antagonists, prokinetic agents. However, the efficacy of these agents is limited. Fucoidan is a complex sulfated polysaccharide derived from marine brown seaweed (Mozuku). The effect of fucoidan has reported as anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-adhesive H. Pylori, anti-ulcerogenic, improvement of gastric emptying function, anti-tumor and anti-oxidant activities and so on. Patients & Methods: Between March 2015 and July 2015, we enrolled 5 patients who were diagnosed with FD. All patients already use some agents (e.g., PPI, Acotiamide and TJ-43). We have a questionnaire (FSSG) before, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after ingesting fucoidan soft capsule (240 mg/day for 4 weeks). This questionnaire (FSSG) is a self-report instrument containing 12 questions written in a simple and easy-to-understand language. As reported previously by Kusano and colleagues (2004), the following definitions were used to identify symptoms in the F-scale: “Do you get heartburn?”; “Does your stomach feel bloated?”; “Does your stomach ever feel heavy after meals?”; “Do you sometimes subconsciously rub your chest with your hand?”; “Do you ever feel sick after meals?”; “Do you get heartburn after meals?”; “Do you have an unusual sensation in your throat?”; “Do you feel full while eating meals?”; “Do some things get stuck when you swallow?”; “Do you get bitter liquid coming up into your throat?”; “Do you burp a lot?”; and “Do you get heartburn if you bend over?”. Symptoms frequency was measured on the following scale: Never=0; occasionally=1; sometimes=2; often=3 and always=4. If the patient has a score of more than 7 point, GERD is considered as positive. This study was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the ethical committee at Toho University. Results: It was recognized that FSSG score was decreased by ingesting fucoidan in 4/5 patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that ingesting of fucoidan will improve abdominal symptoms and FSSG score for refractory FD patients.