Effects of rice bran fibre and cholestyramine on the faecal excretion of Kanechlor 600 (PCB) in rats

Interventions to Address Environmental Metabolism-Disrupting Chemicals: Changing the Narrative to Empower Action to Restore Metabolic Health

Metabolic disease rates have increased dramatically over the last four decades. Classic understanding of metabolic physiology has attributed these global trends to decreased physical activity and caloric excess; however, these traditional risk factors insufficiently explain the magnitude and rapidity of metabolic health deterioration. Recently, the novel contribution of environmental metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs) to various metabolic diseases (including obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is becoming recognized. As this burgeoning body of evidence has matured, various organic and inorganic pollutants of human and natural origin have emerged as metabolic disease risk factors based on population-level and experimental data. Recognition of these heretofore underappreciated metabolic stressors now mandates that efforts to mitigate the devastating consequences of metabolic disease include dedicated efforts to address environmental drivers of disease risk; however, there have not been adequate recommendations to reduce exposures or to mitigate the effects of exposures on disease outcomes. To address this knowledge gap and advance the clinical translation of MDC science, herein discussed are behaviors that increase exposures to MDCs, interventional studies to reduce those exposures, and small-scale clinical trials to reduce the body burden of MDCs. Also, we discuss evidence from cell-based and animal studies that provide insights into MDC mechanisms of action, the influence of modifiable dietary factors on MDC toxicity, and factors that modulate MDC transplacental carriage as well as their impact on metabolic homeostasis. A particular emphasis of this discussion is on critical developmental windows during which short-term MDC exposure can elicit long-term disruptions in metabolic health with potential inter- and transgenerational effects. While data gaps remain and further studies are needed, the current state of evidence regarding interventions to address MDC exposures illuminates approaches to address environmental drivers of metabolic disease risk. It is now incumbent on clinicians and public health agencies to incorporate this knowledge into comprehensive strategies to address the metabolic disease pandemic.

A review of the mechanism of injury and treatment approaches for illness resulting from exposure to water-damaged buildings, mold, and mycotoxins

Physicians are increasingly being asked to diagnose and treat people made ill by exposure to water-damaged environments, mold, and mycotoxins. In addition to avoidance of further exposure to these environments and to items contaminated by these environments, a number of approaches have been used to help persons affected by exposure to restore their health. Illness results from a combination of factors present in water-damaged indoor environments including, mold spores and hyphal fragments, mycotoxins, bacteria, bacterial endotoxins, and cell wall components as well as other factors. Mechanisms of illness include inflammation, oxidative stress, toxicity, infection, allergy, and irritant effects of exposure. This paper reviews the scientific literature as it relates to commonly used treatments such as glutathione, antioxidants, antifungals, and sequestering agents such as Cholestyramine, charcoal, clay and chlorella, antioxidants, probiotics, and induced sweating.

Effect of chitosan intake on fecal excretion of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in healthy men

Six healthy male subjects were treated with 0 g, 1 g, 3 g, and 0 g of chitosan for the first, second, third, and fourth of four weeks, respectively. They were administered chitosan before breakfast on the second, third, and fourth days of the week, and fecal specimens were collected corresponding to the prescribed diet consumed for breakfast on the second day to breakfast on the fourth day. Fecal excretion of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was promoted by intake of 3 g of chitosan (p=0.0589 and p<0.05 respectively), and was positively correlated with that of fat (p<0.01 for both). We found that chitosan intake increased the fecal excretion of dioxins and PCBs, as well as that of fat, suggesting that it might be useful for reducing the adverse effects of lipophilic endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

A clinical trial of kampo formulae for the treatment of symptoms of yusho, a poisoning caused by dioxins and related organochlorine compounds

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional herbal medicines (Kampo) on the symptoms of Yusho. Yusho is a mass food poisoning that was caused by ingestion of rice oil contaminated with dioxins and related organochlorines in 1968. Patients with Yusho suffer from skin symptoms (acneform eruptions, liability to suppuration and pigmentation), respiratory symptoms (cough and expectoration of sputum), neurological symptoms (numbness and paresthesia of extremities), arthralgia and general fatigue, and no effective treatment has yet been developed. In this clinical trial, four Kampo formulae (Bakumondo-to, Keigai-rengyo-to, Gosha-jinki-gan and Hochu-ekki-to) were administered to four representative Yusho symptoms (respiratory, skin, neurological symptoms and general fatigue), respectively. Twenty-seven Yusho patients were enrolled and two formulae were administered to each patient for half-a-year each. The effectiveness of Kampo formulae was estimated by changes in the intensity of symptoms measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS) of 100 mm recorded at baseline and after administration of each formula. The influence of Kampo formulae on patients' quality of life (QOL) was also assessed by the SF-36 (NBS). Twenty-five patients completed the treatment. Bakumondo-to significantly improved respiratory symptoms as well as patients' QOL in the context of vitality, compared with other formulae. In contrast, Hochu-ekki-to impaired patients' QOL in the context of physical functioning and vitality, compared with other formulae. This study demonstrated for the first time that a Kampo formula Bakumondo-to is useful for treating respiratory symptoms caused by dioxins.

Elimination of persistent toxicants from the human body

There is compelling evidence that various chemical agents are important determinants of myriad health afflictions--several xenobiotics have the potential to disrupt reproductive, developmental, and neurological processes and some agents in common use have carcinogenic, epigenetic, endocrine-disrupting, and immune-altering action. Some toxicants appear to have biological effect at miniscule levels and certain chemical compounds are persistent and bioaccumulative within the human body. Despite escalating public health measures to preclude further exposures, many people throughout the world have already accrued a significant body burden of toxicants, placing them at potential health risk. As a result, increasing discussion is underway about possible interventions to facilitate elimination of persistent toxicants from the human organism in order to obviate health affliction and to potentially ameliorate chronic degenerative illness. An overview of the clinical aspects of detoxification is presented with discussion of established and emerging interventions for the elimination of persistent xenobiotics. Potential therapies to circumvent enterohepatic recirculation and a case report highlighting a clinical outcome associated with detoxification are also presented for consideration.

Effects of dietary wheat bran on absorption and accumulation of PCBs in rats

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic environmental contaminants, which tend to accumulate in the food chain. Since dietary intake is the most important exposure route, PCB body burden may be affected by taking proper dietary measures. In the present study, diets were supplemented with either wheat bran or its cellulose based placebo in order to study the effect of bran consumption on the absorption of dietary PCBs and the excretion of initially stored PCBs. During the period of PCB intake, faecal PCB excretion was elevated by consumption of wheat bran as compared to the placebo. Hence, apparent faecal PCB digestibilities as well as PCB retentions in the whole body were lower in the wheat bran consuming rats. After ending PCB consumption, dietary wheat bran had only a minor effect on faecal PCB output while accumulation in the body was not affected. When PCBs were consumed for a longer time, a small but significant reduction of apparent faecal PCB digestibility was found. However, PCB content in the body kept increasing while PCB retention as percent of intake remained almost constant. Furthermore, differences among individual PCB congeners in metabolic susceptibility and hydrophobic characteristics had an impact on their accumulation in the body.

Polychlorinated biphenyl distribution and faecal excretion in rats fed wheat bran

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are abundant and persistent environmental contaminants, which tend to accumulate through the food chain. Because of the toxic potential of these compounds, body burden should be kept as low as possible e.g. by taking dietary measures. In the present report, the effect of wheat bran consumption on absorption of dietary PCBs as well as on excretion of previously absorbed PCBs was investigated in rats. Moreover, the accumulation of 7 reference PCB congeners in liver and abdominal adipose tissue was studied. Faecal excretion of dietary PCBs was significantly higher in rats fed wheat bran compared to its placebo. As a result, apparent PCB digestibility was diminished, but not enough to significantly affect PCB accumulation in liver and abdominal adipose tissue. Furthermore, excretion of previously absorbed PCBs following switching of the rats to a control diet without added PCBs was enhanced by wheat bran fibre intake, although to a much lesser extent than excretion of PCBs originating directly from the diet. Consequently, stimulation of PCB clearance from liver and abdominal adipose tissue due to wheat bran consumption was not detectable. Although no preferential absorption of PCB congeners was observed, PCB patterns in tissues obviously differed from the dietary PCB pattern. This was mainly due to PCBs 52 and 101, which were metabolised in the body. Moreover, reduced levels of PCB 138 were found in liver, while PCB 28 and 138 were predominantly present in adipose tissue. The experiment also demonstrated that PCB redistribution from the liver to the adipose tissue occurs.