Antidiarrheal effects of L-histidine-supplemented rice-based oral rehydration solution in the treatment of male adults with severe cholera in Bangladesh: A double-blind, randomized trial

Abstract

Background. Because of the antisecretory potential of L-histidine in the intestinal tract, its antidiarrheal effects were determined in cholera. Methods. In a double-blind trial of 126 adult male patients with cholera, L-histidine (2.5 g/L) was mixed with a rice-based oral rehydration solution (ORS) and administered to 62 patients; 64 patients received the same ORS without L-histidine. All patients received ciprofloxacin at a dosage of 500 mg every 12 h for 72 h. Fluid output (of stool, urine, and vomit) and intake (of ORS, water, and intravenous fluid) were determined every 8 h for 72 h. Results. Administration of ORS with L-histidine significantly (P .05]). Administration of ORS with L-histidine also significantly reduced (P