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. 2016:2016:3848409.
doi: 10.1155/2016/3848409. Epub 2016 Nov 28.

Conifer Green Needle Complex in Patients with Precancerous Gastric Lesions: An Observational Pilot Study

Vladimir Bespalov  1 , Alexander Sherbakov  2 , Viktor Novik  3 , Valentin Kalinovsky  4 , Kamran Shamsi  5 , Vagif Soultanov  6
Affiliations

Conifer Green Needle Complex in Patients with Precancerous Gastric Lesions: An Observational Pilot Study

Vladimir Bespalov et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016.

Abstract

Objectives. Helicobacter pylori infection is common and can lead to precancerous gastric lesions. Standard antibiotic therapy has a failure rate of more than 25% from antibiotic resistance. The primary aim of this observational pilot study was to test the feasibility of a large-scale clinical trial of Conifer Green Needle Complex (CGNC) to treat precancerous gastric lesions. Secondary aims were to investigate H. pylori infection, stomach function, and histopathology of the gastric mucosa. Methods. A tablet form of CGNC (extracted from Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies (L) Karst) was prescribed to 26 patients with precancerous gastric lesions (two tablets, 100 mg CGNC/tablet, three times per day for six months). Another 24 patients received no treatment. Results. Compared with control patients, CGNC-treated patients showed total or partial regression (using the quantitative Rome III diagnostic criteria) of dyspeptic symptoms (92.3%, p < 0.0001), eradication of H. pylori infection (57.1%, p < 0.03), a reduction in endoscopic signs of gastritis (92.3%, p < 0.001), an increase of pepsinogen-pepsin in the gastric juice (57.7%, p < 0.05), and total regression or reduction in the degree of intestinal metaplasia (46.2%, p < 0.05) and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration (53.8%, p < 0.05). Conclusions. This study justifies a randomised-controlled trial with CGNC in patients with atrophic gastritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Vladimir Bespalov is an oncologist and researcher investigating alternative treatment options for cancer and therefore is on the Scientific Advisory Board of Solagran Limited. Vagif Soultanov is an academic scientist involved in decades of research into substances from conifer needles in Russia. He is a Director and shareholder of Solagran Limited, which is the company that is commercialising the technology. Kamran Shamsi is an employee of Solagran Limited. The remaining authors declare that there are no competing interests in this research.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram showing the number of individuals at each stage of the study. CGNC: Conifer Green Needle Complex.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Typical examples of endoscopic observational patterns of atrophic gastritis in the antral section of the stomach in patients before (a) and after (b) treatment with Conifer Green Needle Complex.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Typical examples of histological analysis of biopsy sample from the antral section of the stomach showed intestinal metaplasia before treatment with Conifer Green Needle Complex (a) and total regression of intestinal metaplasia after treatment (b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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