Prevalence of drug-herb and drug-supplement interactions in older adults : A cross-sectional survey

© British Journal of General PracticeBackground Polypharmacy is common among older adults, with increasing numbers also using prescription drugs with herbal medicinal products (HMPs) and dietary supplements. There is no reliable evidence from the UK on concurrent use of HMPs and dietary supplements with prescription drugs in older adults. Aim To establish prevalence of concurrent prescription drugs, HMPs, and dietary supplements among UK community-dwelling older adults and identify potential interactions. Design and setting Cross-sectional survey of older adults registered at two general practices in South East England. Method A questionnaire asking about prescription medications, HMPs, and sociodemographic information was posted to 400 older adults aged ≥65 years, identified as taking ≥1 prescription drug. Results In total 155 questionnaires were returned (response rate = 38.8%) and the prevalence of concurrent HMPs and dietary supplements with prescriptions was 33.6%. Females were more likely than males to be concurrent users (43.4% versus 22.5%; P = 0.009). The number of HMPs and dietary supplements ranged from 1 to 8, (mean = 3, median = 1; standard deviation = 1.65). The majority of concurrent users (78.0%) used dietary supplements with prescription drugs. The most commonly used dietary supplements were cod liver oil, glucosamine, multivitamins, and Vitamin D. Others (20.0%) used only HMPs with prescription drugs. Common HMPs were evening primrose oil, valerian, and Nytol Herbal® (a combination of hops, gentian, and passion flower). Sixteen participants (32.6%) were at risk of potential adverse drug interactions. Conclusion GPs should routinely ask questions regarding herbal and supplement use, to identify and manage older adults at potential risk of adverse drug interactions.Peer reviewe

Solid state fermentation in food processing: advances in reactor design and novel applications

Solid state fermentation (SSF) represents a biotechnological alternative for obtaining fermented foods of different origins. In this work an overview of SSF is carried out, addressing different aspects of fermentation, types of bioreactors, and special attention is given to the use of lactic bacteria and bifidobacteria in SSF for food processing. In recent years the fermentation process on solid substrates (SSF) has received a renewed and growing attention from researchers around the world. As a result, many studies have been conducted on its feasibility for production of enzymes, flavors and aromas, dyes, organic acids, and other substances of interest to the food industry. Those studies have increased the number of recent publications. It is worth noting that the greatest attention toward this type of fermentation is focused on the use of fungi and yeasts, and there are few works in which SSF is described using bacteria. In this work, a general review of SSF is carried out, different aspects of the process including types of bioreactors are described with special attention given to the use of lactic bacteria and bifidobacteria in SSF processes.Fil: Garro, Marisa Selva. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Franco Paolo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Investigaciones En Procesos Tecnologicos Avanzados. - Universidad Nacional del Chaco Austral. Instituto de Investigaciones En Procesos Tecnologicos Avanzados.; ArgentinaFil: Garro, Oscar Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Investigaciones En Procesos Tecnologicos Avanzados. - Universidad Nacional del Chaco Austral. Instituto de Investigaciones En Procesos Tecnologicos Avanzados.; Argentin