Title
The Effect of Various Inulins and Clostridium difficile on the Metabolic Activity of the Human Colonic Microbiota in vitro
Author
van Nuenen, M.H.M.C.
Meyer, P.D.
Venema, K.
TNO Voeding
Publication year
2003
Abstract
The influence of inulins with different average degree of polymerization (ranging from 3 to 25) on the metabolic activity of the human colonic microbiota with or without the addition of Clostridium difficile was investigated in vitro. The in vitro system used was a dynamic, computer-controlled model that simulates the conditions of the proximal part of the large intestine with peristaltic mixing, water absorption and absorption of fermentation products. The addition of inulin stimulated the formation of the total amount of short-chain fatty acids acetate, propionate and butyrate up to 50%, and lactate > 10-fold for short-chain inulin, while the formation of ammonia and the branched-chain fatty acids iso-butyrate and iso-valerate was suppressed. Ammonia formation was suppressed by about 30% and that of iso-butyrate and iso-valerate was almost completely suppressed. These effects became much more pronounced when C. difficile was present in the system. The introduction of C. difficile caused a stimulation of the production of the protein fermentative metabolites ammonia, branched-chain fatty acids and the phenolic compounds indole, phenol and p-cresol. This stimulatory effect of C. difficile was almost completely prevented by the addition of inulins. Thus, these results indicate a potential of inulins to shift the metabolic activity of the human colonic microbiota towards the production of less potentially toxic metabolites, both under normal conditions and under conditions with a disturbed microbiota (with a high level of C. difficile).
Subject
Biology
Physiological Sciences
Clostridium difficile
Colonic microbiota
In vitro model
Inulin
Metabolic activity
inulin
adult
article
bacterial growth
caloric intake
clinical article
Clostridium difficile
colon flora
female
fermentation
growth inhibition
human
intestine absorption
intestine motility
male
metabolic activation
nutritional value
polymerization
priority journal
risk benefit analysis
water absorption
Bacteria (microorganisms)
Clostridium
Clostridium difficile
Microbiota
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:68bda5e3-abee-412e-9265-49d4624a9c77
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/08910600310018959
TNO identifier
237352
ISSN
0891-060X
Source
Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 15 (2-3), 137-144
Document type
article