Title
Evaluation of the toxicity of concentrated barley β-glucan in a 28-day feeding study in Wistar rats
Author
Delaney, B.
Carlson, T.
Frazer, S.
Zheng, T.
Hess, R.
Ostergren, K.
Kierzek, K.
Haworth, J.
Knutson, N.
Junker, K.
Jonker, D.
TNO Voeding
Publication year
2003
Abstract
β-Glucans are water-soluble cell-wall polysaccharides consisting of (1→3,1→4)-linked β-D-glucopyranosyl monomers that comprise a considerable proportion of soluble fiber from certain grains including oats and barley. Consumption of foods containing β-glucan or β-glucan-enriched fractions prepared from these grains lower serum cholesterol concentrations in humans and in animal models of hypercholesterolemia. The present study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity of β-glucan-enriched soluble fiber from barley in Wistar rats on dietary administration at concentrations of 0.7, 3.5 and 7% β-glucan for 28 days. There were no adverse effects on general condition and behavior, growth, feed and water consumption, feed conversion efficiency, red blood cell and clotting potential parameters, clinical chemistry values, and organ weights. Necropsy and histopathology findings revealed no treatment-related changes in any organ evaluated. A dose-dependent increase in full and empty cecum weight was observed. This is a common physiological response of rodents to high amounts of poorly digestible, fermentable carbohydrates, and was of no toxicological concern. The only finding of possible biological relevance was an increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes observed in males. However, the increase was not dose-dependent and was not observed in females. Results of this study demonstrated that consumption of concentrated barley β-glucan was not associated with any obvious signs of toxicity in Wistar rats even following consumption of large quantities. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Subject
Toxicology
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
β-Glucan
Barley
Lymphocytes
Soluble fiber
beta glucan
cholesterol
animal experiment
animal model
animal tissue
article
barley
blood clotting
cholesterol blood level
clinical chemistry
controlled study
erythrocyte
feeding
female
fluid intake
food intake
food poisoning
growth
male
nonhuman
organ weight
rat
sex difference
stomach emptying
Animal Feed
Animals
Behavior, Animal
Blood Chemical Analysis
Body Weight
Diet
Dietary Fiber
Drinking
Eating
Erythrocyte Count
Female
Glucans
Hordeum
Leukocyte Count
Male
Nervous System Diseases
Organ Size
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Animalia
Avena
Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare
Rattus norvegicus
Rodentia
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5f90cdac-cf52-454c-a85a-beec42dfce44
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0278-6915(02)00298-3
TNO identifier
237036
ISSN
0278-6915
Source
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 41 (4), 477-487
Document type
article