Effect of degraded carrageenan on the intestine in germfree rats.
The role of intestinal bacterial flora in display of the effect of degraded carrageenan was investigated by feeding 9 germfree and 12 conventional female Wistar rats on diet containing 10% carrageenan for 63 days. Animals were sacrificed 7, 20, 35, and 63 days after the start of feeding and histological changes induced by carrageenan were studied. The germfree rats showed mucosal lesions, such as macrophage aggregates, erosion, and squamous metaplasia of the large intestine, and these lesions were more extensive than those in the conventional rats. Therefore, it was concluded that bacterial flora are not essential for display of the biological effects of degraded carrageenan.
D000818:Animals; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000187:drug effects*; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000166:cytology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
D002351:Carrageenan