Alteration of intestinal microflora by the intake of millet porridge improves gastrointestinal motility

Abstract

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has a long history of treating gastrointestinal ailments in China; however, little is known about the functional mechanism driving its therapeutic effects. The primary edible form of millet is porridge. This study investigates the effects of millet porridge on diphenoxylate-induced constipation and intestinal microflora in mice. Fifty mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group, constipation model group, and low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose millet porridge groups. After 14 days of millet porridge gavage, constipation was induced and measured. The results showed that millet porridge prevented constipation by increasing the water content of feces, shortened the time of the first melena defecation, promoted gastric emptying, and improved the rate of gastrointestinal propulsion. Millet porridge also dose-dependently increased levels of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and decreased levels of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Bacteroides in the intestine. These results show that millet porridge could accelerate intestinal motility and change the proportions of intestinal flora and that it has a potent prebiotic effect.

Lacidophilin tablets alleviate constipation through regulation of intestinal microflora by promoting the colonization of Akkermansia sps

“…There are significant differences in the quantity and composition of intestinal microbiota between constipated patients and healthy individuals 29 . Some studies have shown that the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus is reduced in constipated patients, while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes , Fusobacterium , and Enterobacter is enhanced 20 , 30 .…”

Mendelian randomization studies reveal the risk of inflammatory bowel disease onset associated with certain dietary factors

“…Our results suggest that the consumption of porridge may be a protective factor for IBD. This may be attributed to the fact that porridge consumption increases gastrointestinal motility and water content in the stool and also enhances the abundance of bene cial gut bacteria such as Bi dobacteria and Lactobacilli, while reducing the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Clostridium [29].…”

Latilactobacillus sakei Furu2019 and stachyose as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics alleviate constipation in mice

“…The prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics groups were intragastrically administrated 0.3 mL of ST (1.5 g/kg), alive L. sakei (3 × 10 9 CFU/mouse), and the mixture of ST and L. sakei (1.5 g/kg plus3 × 10 9 CFU/mouse), respectively. After 21 days of intervention, all mice were fast for 16 h. On day 22, all mice except the normal mice were intragastrically administrated with diphenoxylate (10 mg/kg) to establish the constipation mouse model according to previous publications ( 31 , 32 ). After 30 min, all mice were gavaged with 0.25 mL of ink.…”