title: Active hexose-correlated compound and Bifidobacterium longum BB536 exert symbiotic effects in experimental colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Active hexose-correlated compound (AHCC) is a commercial extract obtained from Basidiomycetes under controlled conditions, yielding a 74 % content in oligosaccharides, especially α-glucans. AHCC has a number of therapeutic effects, including intestinal anti-inflammatory activity. Bifidobacterium longum BB536 is a probiotic with potential health-promoting effect at the gut level. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of synergism between AHCC, which is believed to act as a prebiotic, and B. longum BB536.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid model (TNBS) of colitis in rats. AHCC (100 or 500 mg kg(-1)) and B. longum BB536 (5 × 10(6) CFU rat(-1) day(-1)) were administered together or separately for 7 days prior to colitis induction and then for another 7 days and compared with control (noncolitic) and TNBS rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that both treatments had intestinal anti-inflammatory activity separately, which was enhanced when used in combination, as shown by changes in body weight gain, colonic weight to length ratio, myeloperoxydase activity and iNOS expression. Interestingly, the association of AHCC 100 mg kg(-1) + B. longum BB536 showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data provide a preclinical experimental basis for the synergistic effect of AHCC and B. longum BB536 on inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, CIBERehd, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ocón
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anzola
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortega-González
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarzuelo
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Fermín
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez de Medina
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martínez-Augustin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001644:Bifidobacterium; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056692:Prebiotics; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011134:Polysaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat; C499366:Active Hexose Correlated Compound