Abstract
To assess the response of the small intestine to SB, a yeast widely used as adjuvant drug to antimicrobial therapy, 7 healthy volunteers were treated with high doses of SB (250 mg 4 times per day) for 2 weeks. A jejunal biopsy was performed on day 0 and 15. Histology of the post-trial biopsy revealed no morphological alteration but at day 15, sucrase, lactase and maltase were increased by 75-82% (p < 0.05) over the basal enzyme activities measured on day 0. Similar changes were found in the jejunum of adult rats treated with SB for 5 days. In vitro assays on suspensions of SB cells (108 cells/ml) evidenced a high activity for sucrase (X ± SE : 8364 ± 1280 U.g.prot−1) but no maltase, lactase or acid β-galactosidase activity. To determine whether treatment with SB influences the incorporation of neutral lactase into brush border membrane (BBM), 14-day-old sucklings treated with either saline or SB, were given IP 20 μCi D-(114C) glucosamine 3h before sacrifice. Expressed per mg of BBM lactase protein, the incorporation rate of the label was similar between treated rats (8.167 ± 1622) and controls (9602 ± 1803 dpm.mg prot−1). In conclusion: oral treatment of human volunteers and rats with SB causes a marked increase in the activity of disaccharidases without enhancement of enzyme incorporation into the BBM.
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Buts, J., Bernasconi, P. RESPONSE OF HUMAN AND RAT SMALL INTESTINE TO ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF SACCHAROMYCES BOULARDII (SB). Pediatr Res 19, 1074 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00035
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00035