Effect of the administration of fermentable and non-fermentable dietary fibre on intestinal bacterial translocation in ascitic cirrhotic rats.
BACKGROUND
Bacterial infections are frequent in cirrhosis. Experimental studies suggest a pathogenic role of intestinal bacterial translocation in them. Both fermentable and non-fermentable fibre avoided intestinal bacterial translocation (IBT) in animal models of gut starvation and critical illness.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of fermentable (pectin) or non-fermentable (lignin) fibre on IBT in ascitic cirrhotic rats.


METHODS
Thirty-six rats induced to cirrhosis with oral CCl4 were randomized (6 weeks after the first CCl4 dose) to receive rat chow+5% lignin (LIG, n=13), rat chow+5% pectin (PEC, n=13), or rat chow only (CON, n=10). Once ascites developed, animals were laparotomized and samples of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), ascitic fluid, portal and peripheral blood and liver, were obtained for culture.


RESULTS
IBT rate was: LIG=5/13, PEC=4/13, CON=5/10 (P=N.S.). The median amount of translocated bacteria in rats with IBT was lower in the PEC group (2 x 10(2) CFU/g MLN), than in LIG (10(5) CFU/g MLN) and CON (10(4) CFU/g MLN) groups (P<0.05). All other samples were sterile except for a portal blood sample (Enterococcus faecalis) of the LIG group.


CONCLUSIONS
IBT incidence is not decreased by either pectin or lignin in ascitic cirrhotic rats, but pectin supplementation reduces the amount of translocated bacteria.
Bartolí
Ramon
R
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Carretera del Canyet s/n, 08916, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain.
Mañé
Josep
J
Cabré
Eduard
E
Lorenzo-Zúñiga
Vicente
V
Planas
Ramon
R
Viñado
Belén
B
Ausina
Vicenç
V
Gassull
Miquel A
MA
D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000382:microbiology*; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000150:complications; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D010368:Pectins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D010368:Pectins; D008031:Lignin