Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Effect of dietary intervention with different pre- and probiotics on intestinal bacterial enzyme activities

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 225–231 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate the influence of different pre- and probiotics on faecal β-glucuronidase and β-glucosidase activity, as one of the claimed beneficial effects of pre- and probiotics is the hypothesis that these substrates are able to reduce the production of toxic and carcinogenic metabolites by suppressing specific enzyme activities in the colon.

Setting:

Department of Gastrointestinal Research, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Belgium.

Design and subjects:

The effect was evaluated in a randomized, crossover study in 53 healthy volunteers who were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups.

Interventions:

At the start and after a 4-week treatment period, the healthy volunteers collected faeces during 72 h. Lactulose and oligofructose-enriched inulin (OF-IN) were chosen as prebiotics, whereas Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Bifidobacterium breve and Saccharomyces boulardii were selected as probiotics. Two synbiotic combinations were evaluated as well. The enzyme activity was assessed spectrophotometricly.

Results:

Lactulose and OF-IN significantly decreased β-glucuronidase activity, whereas a tendency to a decreased β-glucuronidase activity was observed after L. casei Shirota and B. breve intake. To the contrary, B. breve increased β-glucosidase levels. Supplementation with the synbiotic did not appear to be more beneficial than either compound alone. No influence of S. boulardii was noted.

Conclusions:

Administration of lactulose, OF-IN, L. casei Shirota or B. breve resulted in a decrease of the β-glucuronidase activity, which is considered beneficial for the host.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  • Ballongue J, Schumann C, Quignon P (1997). Effects of lactulose and lactitol on colonic microflora and enzymatic activity. Scand J Gastroenterol 222, 41–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer HG, Asp N-G, Oste R, Dahlqvist A, Fredlund PE (1979). Effect of dietary fibre on the induction of colorectal tumours and fecal β-glucuronidase activity in rat. Cancer Res 39, 3752–3756.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bingham SA (1999). High meat diets and cancer risk. Proc Nutr Soc 58, 243–248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouhnik Y, Attar A, Joly FA, Riottot M, Dyard F, Flourié B (2004). Lactulose ingestion increases faecal bifidobacterial counts: a randomised double-blind study in healthy humans. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 462–466.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouhnik Y, Flourie B, Andrieux C, Bisetti N, Briet F, Rambaud JC (1996). Effects of Bifidobacterium sp fermented milk ingested with or without inulin on colonic bifidobacteria and enzymatic activities in healthy humans. Eur J Clin Nutr 50, 269–273.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buddington RK, Williams CH, Chen SC, Witherly SA (1996). Dietary supplement of neosugar alters the faecal flora and decreases activities of some reductive enzymes in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 63, 709–716.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Preter V, Vanhoutte T, Huys G, Swings J, Rutgeerts P, Verbeke K (2006). Effect of lactulose and Saccharomyces boulardii administration on the colonic urea-nitrogen metabolism and the bifidobacteria concentration in healthy human subjects. Aliment Pharm Ther 23, 963–974.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fioramonti J, Theodorou V, Bueno L (2003). Probiotics: what are they? What are their effects on gut physiology? Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 17, 711–724.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin BR, Gorbach SL (1976). The relationship between diet and rat fecal bacterial enzymes implicated in colon cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 57, 371–375.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin BR, Gorbach SL (1984). The effect of milk and Lactobacillus feeding on human intestinal bacterial enzyme activity. Am J Clin Nutr 39, 756–761.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin BR, Swenson L, Dwyer J, Sexton M, Gorbach SL (1980). Effect of diet and Lactobacillus acidophilus supplements on human fecal bacterial enzymes. J Natl Cancer Inst 64, 255–261.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin BR (1990). Intestinal microflora: metabolism of drugs and carcinogens. Ann Med 22, 43–48.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goossens D, Jonkers D, Russel M, Stobberingh E, Van den Bogaard A, Stockbrügger R (2003). The effect of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v on the bacterial composition and metabolic activity in faeces of healthy volunteers: a placebo-controlled study on the onset and duration of effects. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 18, 495–505.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guerin-Danan C, Chabanet C, Pedone C, Popot F, Vaissade P, Bouley C et al. (1998). Milk fermented with yogurt cultures and Lactobacillus casei compared with yogurt and gelled milk: influence on intestinal microflora in healthy infants. Am J Clin Nutr 67, 111–117.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haberer P, du Toit M, Dicks LMT, Ahrens F, Holzapfel WH (2003). Effect of potentially probiotic lactobacilli on faecal enzyme activity in minipigs on a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet – a preliminary in vivo trial. Int J Food Microbiol 87, 287–291.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heavey PM, McKenna D, Rowland IR (2004). Colorectal cancer and the relationship between genes and the environment. Nutr Cancer 48, 124–141.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes R, Rowland IR (2001). Stimulation of apoptosis by two prebiotic chicory fructans in the rat colon. Carcinogenesis 22, 43–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Vuksan V (1999). Inulin, oligofructose and intestinal function. J Nutr 129, 1431S–1433S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lidbeck A, Overvik E, Rafter J, Nord CE, Gustafsson J-A (1992). Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus supplements on mutagen excretion in faeces and urine in humans. Microbial Ecol Health Disease 5, 59–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ling WH, Korpela R, Mykkänen H, Salminen S, Hänninen O (1994). Lactobacillus strain GG supplementation decreases colonic hydrolytic and reductive enzyme activities in healthy female adults. J Nutr 124, 18–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mallett AK, Rowland IR, Farthing MJG (1987). Dietary modification of intestinal bacterial enzyme activities – potential formation of toxic agents in the gut. Scand J Gastroenterol 129, 251–257.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marteau P, Pochart P, Flourie B, Pellier P, Santos L, Desjeux JF et al. (1990). Effect of chronic ingestion of a fermented dairy product containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum on metabolic activities of the colonic flora in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 52, 685–688.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marteau PR, de Vrese M, Cellier CJ, Schrezenmeir J (2001). Protection from gastrointestinal diseases with the use of probiotics. Am J Clin Nutr 73, 430S–436S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore WE, Moore LH (1995). Intestinal floras of populations that have a high risk of colon cancer. Appl Environ Micorbiol 61, 3202–3207.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura J, Kubota Y, Miyaoka M, Saitoh T, Mizuno F, Benno Y (2002). Comparison of four microbial enzymes in Clostridia and Bacteroides isolated from human feces. Microbiol Immunol 46, 487–490.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pool-Zobel BL, Bertram B, Knoll M, Lambertz R, Neudecker C, Schillinger U et al. (1993). Antigenotixic properties of lactic acid bacteria in vivo in the gastrointestinal tract of rats. Nutr Cancer 20, 271–282.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid MB (1999). Concepts in functional foods: the case of inulin and oligofructose. J Nutr 129, 1398S–1401S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid MB (2005). Introducing inulin-type fructans. Br J Nutr 93, S13–S25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid MB, Van Loo J, Gibson GR (1998). The bifidogenic nature of chicory inulin and its hydrolysis products. J Nutr 128, 11–19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland IR, Mallett AK, Wise A (1985). The effect of diet on the mammalian gut flora and its metabolic activities. Crit Rev Toxicol 16, 31–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland IR, Tanaka R (1993). The effects of transgalactosylated oligosaccharides on gut flora metabolism in rats associated with a human fecal microbiota. J Appl Bacteriol 74, 667–674.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneeman BO (1999). Fiber, inulin and oligofructose: similarities and differences. J Nutr 129, 1424S–1427S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schumann C (2002). Medical, nutritional and technological properties of lactulose. An update. Eur J Nutr 41, 117–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanhaak S, Havenaar R, Schaafsma G (1998). The effect of consumption of milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota on the intestinal microflora and immune parameters in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr 52, 899–907.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephen AM, Cummings JH (1980). Mechanisms of dietary action of fibre in the human colon. Nature 284, 283–284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takada H, Hirooka T, Hiramatsu Y, Yamamoto M (1982). Effect of β-glucuronidase inhibitor on azoxymethane-induced colonic carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Res 42, 331–334.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tannock GW, Munro K, Harmsen HJ, Welling GW, Smart J, Gopal PK (2000). Analysis of the fecal microflora of human subjects consuming a probiotic product containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus DR20. Appl Environ Microbiol 66, 2578–2588.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dokkum W, Wezendonk B, Srikumar TS, Van den Heuvel EGHM (1999). Effect of nondigestible oligosaccharides on large bowel functions, blood lipid concentrations and glucose absorption in young healthy male subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 53, 1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by IWT-Vlaanderen, Brussels, Belgium (GBOU project no. 010054), the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders, the University Research Councils and several companies. L De Vuyst, G Huys, J Swings and B Pot are acknowledged for providing scientific comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastrointestinal Research, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium

    V De Preter, H Raemen, L Cloetens, E Houben, P Rutgeerts & K Verbeke

Authors
  1. V De Preter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H Raemen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L Cloetens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E Houben
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P Rutgeerts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. K Verbeke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K Verbeke.

Additional information

Guarantor: K Verbeke.

Contributors: VDP helped to develop and design the study, collect and analyse the data and write the paper. (This work formed part of her doctoral dissertation.) HR, LC and EH contributed to analysis and interpretation of data. PR critically revised the paper. KV was the principal investigator and was responsible for the study design, development, and oversight and helped to prepare the paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

De Preter, V., Raemen, H., Cloetens, L. et al. Effect of dietary intervention with different pre- and probiotics on intestinal bacterial enzyme activities. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 225–231 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602706

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602706

Keywords

  • prebiotics
  • probiotics
  • β-glucuronidase
  • β-glucosidase

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links