Effects of inulin supplemented to cellulose-free or cellulose-rich diets on caecal environment and biochemical blood parameters in rats

Abstract

The effects of feeding soluble dietary fibre (inulin, I) separately or in combination with insoluble fibre (cellulose, CEL) on caecal fermentation and biochemical blood parameters were studied in rats. Four diets: CEL-rich (10%) and CEL-free, each supplemented with 5% of sucrose or I (CR, CF, CRI and CFI diets, respectively) were fed over 4 weeks, each to 10 male growing Wistar rats. Supplementation with I caused the increase of the mass of caecal tissue and digesta (only on CF diet, interaction at P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively), modification of short-chain fatty acids profile, decrease of caecal pH and ammonia concentration, increase of Bifidobacteria and depression of E. coli number, and decrease of β-glucuronidase activity. Feeding CEL reduced ammonia and total SCFA concentration and activity of all enzymes, particularly β-galactosidase, did not affect microbial population but slightly decreased number of anaerobic saccharolytic and proteolytic bacteria spores. Interactive effects of I and CEL were found for the concentration of branched-chain fatty acids which was more depressed by I on CF than on CR diet. Dietary treatments did not affect blood parameters.

Administration of Inulin-Supplemented Gluten-Free Diet Modified Calcium Absorption and Caecal Microbiota in Rats in a Calcium-Dependent Manner

“…The experimental GFDs with inulin increased the concentration of α- and β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase, whereas the activity of β-glucuronidase was suppressed in groups fed GFDs with inulin. Similar results were reported in other studies of fructooligosaccharides [ 42 , 58 ] which demonstrated that moderate FOS content significantly reduced the caecal activity of β-glucuronidase and increased the activity of β-galactosidase. Bile flow modulates the activity of β-glucuronidase in the large intestines of rats [ 59 ], therefore, the inulin-induced decrease in β-glucuronidase activity could be attributed to intensified intestinal peristalsis.…”

Effect of the dietary polyphenolic fraction of chicory root, peel, seed and leaf extracts on caecal fermentation and blood parameters in rats fed diets containing prebiotic fructans

“…A study with volunteers has confirmed the mild hypocholesterolaemic effect of an artichoke extract rich in 1,3-DCQA (cinarine), at the dosage of 500-1500 mg of cinarine/d (29) . In the discussed experiment, the expected favourable effect of the polyphenolic fraction on the glucose level and the lipid profile of the blood serum was not observed due to the analogous action of the fructan fraction, whose modulatory impact on lipid metabolism has already been well documented (6,16) . The lowest total cholesterol concentration and the highest value of the HDL-cholesterol profile in the PMc group may point to a more beneficial effect of the leaf extract compared with the extract prepared from chicory roots.…”

“…Also, in studies on biological properties of other classes of polyphenols, metabolism of the large intestine has been found to be positively affected by a prebiotic -phenolic mixture compared with supplements applied separately (26,27) . The activity of microbiological b-glucuronidase is claimed to be a biomarker of an increased risk of neoplasm incidence (16) . The greatest increase in the digesta bulk in the caecum was observed in rats fed the PH diet containing MCQA and DCQA at the level of 0•21 %, which confirms the earlier findings that polyphenols may increase digesta hydration and delay digesta passage, thus increasing their accumulation and, indirectly, increasing the mass of the intestinal wall (26,27) .…”

“…The activity of bacterial enzymes (b-glucosidase and b-glucuronidase) released into the environment was measured by the rate of por o-nitrophenol release from their nitrophenylglucosides, according to the method described elsewhere (16) , in fresh faeces, which were taken after each week of the experiment, and in the caecal digesta on termination of the experiment (a-and b-glucosidase p-nitrophenol was quantified at 400 and 420 nm (o-nitrophenol concentration) after the addition of 2•5 ml of 0•25 M-cold sodium carbonate. The enzymatic activity (a-and b-glucosidase, aand b-galactosidase and bglucuronidase) was expressed as mmol product formed/ h per g of digesta.…”

Changes chemopreventive markers in colorectal cancer development after inulin supplementation

“…The number of coliforms was in this group signifi cantly reduced, whereas in the DMH group was highest. Activity of the enzyme β-glucuronidase is considered as a biomarker of increased risk incidence of neoplasms (Juśkiewicz et al, 2009) and at the same time is perceived as harmful to health as a result of release properties of carcinogens from glucuronic acid conjugates and critical factor enterohepatic circulation of drugs and other compounds. Bacterial fermentation of undigested food in the colon by microorganisms produce different microbial metabolites (Wong et al, 2006).…”