It has been observed that during cholera diarrhea, the blood urea level decreased. As a result, the idea that induced diarrhea might have value in nitrogen extraction is being explored. Chinese uremic patients in Taipei, treated for up to two years with thrice weekly induced diarrhea lasting 3-7 hrs, had symptomatic improvement with good tolerance of the regimen. Because no objective, controlled, randomized prospective studies of diarrhea therapy have been reported, though the concept is appealing, proof of efficacy is lacking. Bacterial Enzyme Nitrogen Recycling Farmers depend on nitrogen recycling chemical reactions when they feed urea and cellulose wastes to cattle who, within the rumen, convert urea to essential amino acids using cellulose as an energy source.
Dairy cows live for six generations, calve and produce normal milk on a protein-free diet.
Dr. K. Setala, a Professor of Pathology at the University of Helsinki, Finland, who recognized the potential of transposing ruminant reactions to humans and devised a unique treatment of uremia using the patient's gastrointestinal tract. From cultured soil bacteria, Setala extracted enzymes which were then introduced into the uremic patient's gut to recycle nitrogenous substances. 16 Treated patients showed greatly reduced nitrogen waste products in their blood and lowered high blood pressure. To date, however, confirmation of Setala's reports has not been published. With yeast cells now the prime source of human insulin and cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells routinely manufacturing genetically-engineered hormone products, it is not unlikely that one day we will see trained bacteria substitute for kidney, liver and most endocrine functions.