The main objective was to evaluate the effect of rhubarb extract supplementation on improving intestinal transit in subjects with a low number of defecations per week.~The secondary objectives are to assess: changes in the appearance of the stool; the evolution of the quality of life; the evolution of biological markers of intestinal function; the evolution of the intestinal microbiota; the evolution of low-grade chronic inflammatory markers; the evolution of endotoxemia; the evolution of oxidative stress; the relief experienced; subject satisfaction; the evolution of safety dosages; subject compliance.~The main efficacy criterion is the improvement in intestinal transit assessed by the frequency of stool emissions reported daily from D-14 to D 30.~The secondary endpoints correspond to the evolution of the aspect of the stools evaluated by the Bristol Stool Scale and the evolution of the quality of life evaluated by the SF-12.~They also correspond to the relief of the subjects evaluated on the PGII scale, to the tolerance of the product over the entire study period and in particular the occurrence of diarrhea and to the description of satisfaction on a Likert scale.~Regarding the biological assays, they correspond to:~for biological markers of intestinal function to those specific to intestinal transit, i.e. active GLP-1, total GIP total PYY, PP (DPPIV substrates), Leptin, Insulin, by blood samples at D0 and D30 and that specific for permeability intestinal or claudin-3 by urine samples at D0 and D30;~for the microbiota, analysis of bacterial taxa by PCR and metagenomics carried out on faecal samples collected on D0 and D30;~for chronic low-grade chemokine inflammatory markers, Prostaglandins, interleukins, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, ultra-sensitive CRP by blood samples at D0 and D30;~for the measurement of endotoxaemia in the analysis of circulating LPS, TRL2 and 4 by blood samples on D0 and D30;~for the measurement of oxidative stress to the ROS and NADPH oxidase content by blood serum samples at D0 and D30;~for the safety assays for the lipid profile, NFS, glycaemia, kalemia, transaminases by blood samples on D0 and D30.~The studied product is a food supplement composed of a rhubarb extract standardized, characterized and optimized in order to improve these functional effects on the intestinal system (regulation of the local inflammatory system, microflora, peristalsis, etc.) at 2 different doses. The food supplement comes in the form of a film-coated tablet. The comparator product was a placebo with an appearance strictly identical to the verum and contains only excipients.
Randomized double-blind clinical study versus placebo evaluating the effect of supplementation with rhubarb extract on stool frequency and biological markers of intestinal function in seniors with a low number of defecations per week