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Oligofructose and long-chain inulin: influence on the gut microbial ecology of rats associated with a human faecal flora.
- Source :
-
The British journal of nutrition [Br J Nutr] 2001 Aug; Vol. 86 (2), pp. 291-300. - Publication Year :
- 2001
-
Abstract
- Dietary incorporation of fermentable, indigestible fructans may be of benefit to gastrointestinal health by providing short-chain fatty acids, stimulating the proliferation of bifidobacteria or lactobacilli and suppressing potential pathogenic organisms in the gut. We tested the hypothesis that the effects of fructans on caecal, colonic and faecal short-chain fatty acid concentration and microflora composition depend on their chain length. Germ-free rats associated with a human faecal flora were randomly assigned to one of four treatments as follows: (1) commercial standard diet as a control (Con); (2) Con+50 g short-chain oligofructose/kg (OF); (3) C+50 g long-chain inulin/kg (lcIN); or (4) Con+50 g OF-lcIN/kg (Mix OF-lcIN). Changes in bacterial population groups in response to feeding these diets were investigated with 16S rRNA-targeted probes applied in in situ hybridization. Mix OF-lcIN- and lcIN-containing diets resulted in larger numbers of caecal, colonic and faecal bacteria of the Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale cluster than Con (10.6 and 10.3 v. 9.5 log10/g wet wt), whereas OF alone did not affect this bacterial group in caecum, colon or faeces. A bifidogenic effect was only observed in the colon and faeces of OF-treated rats. More lactobacilli were found in caecal and colonic contents of Mix OF-lcIN-fed rats and in faeces of OF-fed rats compared with Con. Mix OF-lcIN and OF led to significantly smaller numbers of caecal, colonic and faecal bacteria belonging to the Clostridium histolyticum and C. lituseburense groups than Con (6.8 and 6.9 v. 7.9 log10/g wet wt). Counts of total bacteria, Bacteroides-Prevotella and Enterobacteriaceae did not differ between the groups. OF and/or lcIN-containing diets significantly increased the caecal and colonic concentration of butyrate and its relative molar proportion. Only lcIN-containing diets resulted in a higher faecal concentration of butyrate than Con. Higher molar proportions of faecal butyrate were observed with all diets that had been supplemented with OF and/or lcIN. Stimulation of butyrate production could be of interest for the prevention of ulcerative colitis and colon cancer.
- Subjects :
- Analysis of Variance
Animals
Butyrates analysis
Butyrates metabolism
Cecum microbiology
Clostridium isolation & purification
Clostridium metabolism
Colon microbiology
Eubacterium isolation & purification
Eubacterium metabolism
Fatty Acids, Volatile analysis
Feces chemistry
Germ-Free Life
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Intestines anatomy & histology
Lactic Acid analysis
Lactobacillus isolation & purification
Lactobacillus metabolism
Male
Organ Size
Random Allocation
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Feces microbiology
Intestines microbiology
Inulin administration & dosage
Oligosaccharides administration & dosage
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0007-1145
- Volume :
- 86
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The British journal of nutrition
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 11502244
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn2001403