Nutrients 2017, 9(7), 767; doi:10.3390/nu9070767
Dose-Dependent Prebiotic Effect of Lactulose in a Computer-Controlled In Vitro Model of the Human Large Intestine
1
Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH, Else-Kroener-Strasse 1, 61352 Bad Homburg, Germany
2
Triskelion B.V., A TNO Company, P.O. Box 844, 3700 AV Zeist, The Netherlands
3
The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Microbiology and Systems Biology Department, P.O. Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands
4
Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH, Borkenberg 14, 61440 Oberursel, Germany
5
Fresenius Kabi Austria GmbH, Estermannstrasse 17, 4020 Linz, Austria
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 9 June 2017 / Revised: 10 July 2017 / Accepted: 14 July 2017 / Published: 18 July 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prebiotics and Probiotics)
Abstract
Lactulose, a disaccharide of galactose and fructose, used as a laxative or ammonia-lowering drug and as a functional food ingredient, enhances growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus at clinically relevant dosages. The prebiotic effect of subclinical dosages of Lactulose, however, remains to be elucidated. This study analyses changes in the microbiota and their metabolites after a 5 days Lactulose treatment using the TIM-2 system, a computer-controlled model of the proximal large intestine representing a complex, high density, metabolically active, anaerobic microbiota of human origin. Subclinical dosages of 2–5 g Lactulose were used. While 2 g Lactulose already increased the short-chain fatty acid levels of the intestinal content, 5 g Lactulose were required daily for 5 days in this study to exert the full beneficial prebiotic effect consisting of higher bacterial counts of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Anaerostipes, a rise in acetate, butyrate and lactate, as well as a decrease in branched-chain fatty acids, pH (suggested by an increase in NaOH usage), and ammonia. View Full-TextKeywords:
Lactulose; microbial fermentation; Bifidobacteria; lactobacilli; Anaerostipes; butyrate; ammonia
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Bothe, M.K.; Maathuis, A.J.H.; Bellmann, S.; van der Vossen, J.M.B.M.; Berressem, D.; Koehler, A.; Schwejda-Guettes, S.; Gaigg, B.; Kuchinka-Koch, A.; Stover, J.F. Dose-Dependent Prebiotic Effect of Lactulose in a Computer-Controlled In Vitro Model of the Human Large Intestine. Nutrients 2017, 9, 767.
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