Clinoptilolite in the drug refractory chronic diarrhoea.

Objective: The aim of study was to assess the safety and tolerability of a specific zeolite powder (Xeoderm powder, Phytoitalia S.r.l -Corbetta, Italy) and its effectiveness on health-related quality of life, bowel habits, psychological status (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress).

Materials and methods: 100 patients affected by inadequately treated chronic or recurrent diarrhoea were educated to take Xeoderm [one spoon (15 mg) after lunch and after dinner mixed in 20 ml of water or fruits juice] for 8 weeks, then reduced to one single administration in the evening for one month. The patients were invited to keep records of the number of stool discharge, and of the bowel sounds and movements frequency and intensity, possible haemorrhoids, or anal fissures or anitis symptoms. H.pylori test to assess the presence of H.pylori, a Subject's Global Assessment (SGA) of Relief questionnaire to as-sess the impact of treatment on irritable bowel syndrome, the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) to evaluate stool form measurement; and the 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12) to assess the quality of life, were administered before and after treatment to each patient.

Results: Zeolite was shown to be quite effective in taking control of the frequent stool's emission. In the majority of clinical cases, in fact whether administered alone or with other curing-disease -tailored-therapies, it reached the required goal to restore the number and quality of stools output, improving the daily life. In addition, patients with irritable bowel disease strongly decreased diarrhoea, reducing the discomfort, and increasing the social self-confidence. Changes in blood and faecal parameters were observed during and after Xeoderm treatment.

Discussion: This study provided anecdotal evidence of effectiveness and safety of the prescribed zeolite brand, with improvement of the specific symptoms of diarrhoea: stool consistency, and possible abdominal colicky pain. A reasonable explanation might be that probably some immune modification of the inflammatory background, with reduction of the cytokine cascade normalized the colonic mucosa cells turnover with drainage of submucous oedema and reabsorption of the inflammatory granulocyte and lymphomonocytes infiltration.

Conclusions: This specific brand of zeolite has to be taken into account in the symptomatic treatment of acute and chronic diarrhoea especially when anti-diarrhoeic classic protocol has failed.