title: Gut microflora interactions with xylitol in the mouse, rat and man.
abstract: The influence of dietary xylitol on the quantity and quality of faecal microflora was studied in Wistar albino rats, CD-1 mice and healthy human volunteers. In animals, the effects of xylitol adaptation and of 4-wk xylitol feeding were examined. No major changes in the numbers of total aerobic or anaerobic bacteria, aerobic streptococci, anaerobic streptococci or yeasts were observed, although there was evidence of a dose-dependent decrease in the numbers of aerobic streptococci in the faeces. However, xylitol feeding caused a clear shift in the rodent faecal microbial population from Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria. In human volunteers a similar shift was observed even after a single 30-g oral dose of xylitol. All animals were capable of adapting to 20% dietary xylitol and an accompanying enhancement of the ability of caecal and faecal flora to utilize xylitol was observed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014993:Xylitol