Dietary chicory inulin-rich meal exerts greater healing effects than fructooligosaccharide preparation in rats with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced necrotic colitis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of chicory root inulin-rich meal (containing a polyphenolic fraction as well) and pure fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on necrotic colitis induced with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in Wistar rats. Both chicory preparations signi cantly reduced the pH value of colonic digesta and favourably lowered the caecal activity of bacterial -glucuronidase as well as the caecal concentration of putrefactive short-chain fatty acids in comparison to the control TNBS rats. In addition, they enhanced the production of total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA pool) and concentration of anti-in ammatory propionic acid in the caecal digesta. Nevertheless, only dietary chicory meal favourably increased the total SCFA concentration and thus decreased the pH value of caecal digesta. The increased caecal SCFA production may explain the observed greater reduction in mucosal necrosis and increased glandular mucosal regeneration in rats fed a diet with chicory root meal. Both chicory preparations bene cially regulated physiological parameters in the lower part of the rat intestinal tract after TNBS-induced colitis, however the dietary treatment with chicory meal showed stronger reduction of mucosal disturbances caused by colitis. Those bene cial effects might be related to the higher polymerization of inulin vs. FOS and to the presence of biologically active compounds in the meal, i.e., phenolic compounds, which had a strong impact on intestinal microbial activity and thus indirectly alleviated mucosal disturbances caused by colitis.