Rice Gruel and Rice Starch Reduce Sorbitol-Induced Diarrhoea in Cecectomized Rats

• Published in: Digestion Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 13 - 21
• Main Authors: Islam, Md.Shahidul, Nishiyama, Ayae, Sakaguchi, Ei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animals; Diarrhea - chemically induced; Diarrhea - prevention & control; Diet; Male; Original Paper; Oryza - chemistry; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sorbitol - adverse effects; Starch; Sweetening Agents - adverse effects; Sorbitol; Diarrhoea; Cecectomized rat; Rice starch; Rice gruel
• ISSN: 0012-2823; 1421-9867
• DOI: 10.1159/000087398

Background/Aims: Sorbitol (S), a widely used sugar substitute in sugar-free products, has shown intolerance manifested by abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhoea in children and adults. The nutritional and S-induced diarrhoea-preventive effect of rice gruel (RG) and rice starch (RS) was studied in cecectomized rats. Methods: During the 41-day experimental period, control, RG or RS, S, and S+RG or RS-containing diets were provided in four consecutive phases. The diet compositions were changed depending on the conditions of the diarrhoea. Faecal appearances of S- and S+RG/RS-fed groups were observed daily and scored (diarrhoea = 2, mixed fae ces = 1, normal faeces = 0) to evaluate the degree of diarrhoea. Results: The diarrhoeal scores were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in all phases of the RG- or RS-fed group compared to the control group (S). Serum lipid and colonic organic acid concentrations were decreased while faecal bile acids and neutral sterol concentrations were increased in the RG-fed group compared to the control which were measured in the samples collected from the last phase of the experiment. Conclusion: These results indicate that RG and RS may be useful additives in S-containing food products to prevent the possible risk of diarrhoea in humans.