The effect of dietary citrus pectin on the excretion of human fecal neutral and acid steroids and the activity of 7α-dehydroxylase and β-glucuronidase

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of citrus pectin on human fecal neutral and acid steroid excretion and beta-glucuronidase and 7alpha-dehydroxylase activity. Eight healthy male subjects (age 20 to 27 yr) were used in a switchback design with or without 15 g citrus pectin added to a mixed low fiber diet. There were three successive 18-day periods preceded by a 4-day adjustment period. Half of the subjects followed a pectin-nonpectin-pectin protocol and the other half followed a nonpectin-pectin-nonpectin protocol. Fecal samples were collected throughout the study under anaerobic conditions. Compared to the control diet, mean fecal weight, percentage moisture, transit time, and fecal fat for both groups of subjects were not significantly different by analysis of variance when subjects were fed pectin diet. Mean beta-glucuronidase activity was increased (35%) when subjects were fed the pectin. Mean 7alpha-dehydroxylase activity showed no definite trend. Mean neutral steroid concentration was slightly decreased (8%) when the pectin diet was fed but total excretion was unchanged. End of period neutral steroid concentration was decreased 9% and total excretion was decreased 3.5%. Mean acid steroid concentration was not changed but total excretion was increased (11%) on the pectin diet. End of period acid steroid concentration and excretion was increased 6% on the pectin diet. This study shows that there were interrelationships between dietary pectin, neutral and acid steroid metabolism, and bacterial enzyme activity.

Metabolic and Morphometric Changes in Small and Large Intestine in Rats Fed High-Fiber Diets

“…Pectin has been reported to increase bile acid excretion (20,27), and our results support this finding.…”

Newly Obtained Apple Pectin as an Adjunct to Irinotecan Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Reducing E. coli Adherence and β-Glucuronidase Activity

“…The analysis of previous studies dealing with the influence of pectins on bacterial GUS revealed lots of inconsistencies. Depending on the type of pectin and experimental setting pectins were reported to increase [73,74], to have no effect [75][76][77], or to reduce GUS activity [78][79][80][81]. Based on the results obtained in the present study, it was concluded that PC strongly inhibited the enzymatic activity of E. coli GUS and might therefore reduce the backward transformation of SN-38G to SN-38.…”

Effect of different levels of dried citrus pulp on performance, egg quality, and blood parameters of laying hens in early phase of production

“…Pectin does not affect the intestinal transit time of stool volume (Ross and Leklem 1981;Stasse-Wolthuis et al 1980), and hence, it does not influence fat or cholesterol absorption via dilution or reduced absorption time. It has reported that pectin reduces pancreatic enzyme activity, which in turn could increase fecal fat excretion (Dutta and Hlasko 1985).…”