Indigestible components of grape seeds modify cecal enzyme activity in rats.
BACKGROUND
The effect of grape seed indigestible fraction (GSIF) on cecal enzyme activity was studied.


METHODS
Beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, azoreductase, nitroreductase and nitrate reductase were measured in the cecal content of adult Wistar rats fed with a fiber-free diet supplemented with 5% cellulose or 5% GSIF as the source of dietary fiber for 4 weeks.


RESULTS
The intake of GSIF did not affect body weight gain nor food intake. However, GSIF caused a significant increase in cecal content, cecal wall and fresh and dry stool weight. Bacterial enzyme activities were lower in the GSIF-fed group than in the cellulose-fed group, although the difference was also significant for nitroreductase and beta-glucuronidase.


CONCLUSIONS
Adaptation to a diet containing GSIF led to changes in microbial activity that involved a decrease in reductive and hydrolytic enzymatic activities implicated in the conversion of procarcinogens into carcinogens.
Goñi
Isabel
I
Departamento de Nutrición I, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain.
D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D004063:Digestion; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D009565:Nitrate Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D009601:Nitroreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D027843:Vitis / Q000737:chemistry*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; D009565:Nitrate Reductases; D009601:Nitroreductases; C021106:azoreductase; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D005966:Glucuronidase