EFFECT OF WHEAT BRAN IN TREATMENT OF CHRONIC NONORGANIC CONSTIPATION - A DOUBLE-BLIND CONTROLLED TRIAL

After a two-week basal period, 24 patients were randomly allocated to receive, with a crossover double-blind design, for two consecutive fou r-week periods, bran (20 g/24 hr) or placebo. The daily intake of wate r and dietary fibers was standardized. Symptomatology, oroanal transit time, bowel frequency, and stool weight were assessed in basal condit ions and at week 4 and 8 of the treatment. Oroanal transit time decrea sed and bowel frequency and stool weight increased significantly durin g both bran and placebo administration in comparison with basal period . Bran treatment was more effective than placebo in improving bowel fr equency and oroanal transit. During bran treatment oroanal transit tim e became normal only in patients with slow colonic transit and not in those with slow rectal transit. Neither the occurrence nor the severit y of the most frequent accompanying symptoms of chronic constipation d iffered significantly between placebo and bran treatments.