• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2020

We previously reported the potential of Senna tora L. seeds fermented by Lactobacillus casei (FSL) as a laxative agent in a loperamide-induced constipation rat model. Here, we examine the mechanism of action of FSL and its bioactive compound, revealed herein, on loperamide-induced constipation Sprague Dawley rat model. We identified the compound aurantio-obtusin (AO) using HPLC quantitative analysis. Rats were randomly assigned to six experimental groups (eight rats each)-normal and constipated groups (loperamide, FSL [100, 300, 500 mg/kg], and AO [1 mg/kg]). The FSL and AO-treated group showed an increase in the frequency, amount, and water content of feces in the constipated rat. Moreover, FSL and AO increased the intestinal transit speed in the constipated rat. Histological analysis revealed that FSL and AO recovered the intestinal mucus, the number of goblet cells, as well as thickness of the mucosa layer and muscle. Furthermore, the protein levels of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3, which is involved in intestine contraction, were recovered in the FSL and AO-treated group. Its downstream signaling pathway (p-protein kinase C) was recovered by FSL and AO treatment. In conclusion, fermentation of S. tora L. seeds increases AO, which improves intestinal function, indicating that FSL is effective for treating constipation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.627-632
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• 1992

The effect of dietary pectin in the upper gastrointestinal transit rate was studied. Rats fed fiber-free diet or 10% pectin diet were offered 51-$CrCl_3,$ a transit marker. The movement of 51-Cr dose through the gastrointestinal tract was measured at intervals from 20 minutes to 6 hours after dosing. pectin significantly increased gastric emptying rate upto 3 hours after dosing. Pectin also increased small intestinal transit rate from 3 hours to 4 hours after dosing. The results suggest that delayed gastric emptying is not likely the important aspect of the mechanism by which pectin could flatten the post-prandial response of serum glucose and insulin.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.315-320
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• 2004

The aim of this study was to develop an activator, 3-10 kDa fraction from radish water extracts, that will improve the intestinal function and bowel movement in the colons. Radish water extracts were investigated for their intestinal function effects according to the charcoal meal transit method, employing Balb/c mice: also, their anti-constipation activities were compared utilizing the loperamide-induced constipation method, employing SD rats. The result suggested that the effects of the charcoal meal transit increased remarkably in radish water extract administrated rats in comparison to loperamide administrated rats. Futhermore, the effects of various solvent extracts of radish on charcoal meal transit in Balb/c mice increased remarkably in radish water fraction administrated rats than in different solvent fraction administrated rats. Radish extraction was tested and isolated into 4 groups: below 3 kDa, 3-10 kDa, 10-300 kDa, and over 300 kDa. 3-10 kDa was the most effective on the intestinal function and bowel movement in the colons; also, 3-10 kDa fraction of radish water extraction was found to be the most effective charcoal meal transit. The dry weight and moisture content of feces remarkedly increased in the 3-10 kDa administrated rats group than in the loperamide only group. Experimental results revealed that 3-10 kDa fraction of radish water extract was the most effective on the intestinal function and bowel movement was the crypt epithelial cells that contained more MUC2 in the 3-10 kDa administrated group than the loperamide only group: in addition, the thickness of mucus layer stained with alcian blue was significantly thicker in 3-10 kDa administrated rats than in loperamide administrated rats. Crypt epithelial cells secreted more MUC2 in the 3-10 kDa administrated group than the loperamide only group and the stained cells clearly showed the MUC2 with antibody Biogenex AM358.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.931-936
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• 2006

This study sought to investigate any additive or interactive effects that soy isoflavones may have on the ecosystem of the gut, which is influenced by fructooligosaccharide (FOS) in colon-cancer model rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine were given experimental diets containing 0, 3, 6, or 9% FOS with or without 0.1% soy isoflavone for 12 weeks. In addition to the effects of FOS dosage on the gut ecosystem, dietary supplementation with soy isoflavone reduced the number of colonic aberrant crypts (ACs). The fecal weight, fecal pH, and gut transit time significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in rats fed FOS and the fecal concentration of bifidobacteria was higher in rats fed FOS than in control rats. The fecal output of total short-chain fatty acids, acetate, and propionate was significantly increased by the presence of FOS and was negatively correlated with the number of ACs, whereas the fecal output of butyrate showed no significant correlation with FOS dosage. The addition of soy isoflavone to the diet did not result in any significant differences in gut ecosystem parameters. Therefore, we conclude that the suppressive effect of soy isoflavone on ACs was not associated with the intestinal ecosystem, which was significantly altered by the dosage of FOS.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2008

The object of this study is to measure the transit time and passage rate of capsule endoscopy (CE) in the gastrointestinal tract in medium sized beagle dogs ($7{\sim}13\;kg$). Animals were divided into four groups: only capsule (group 1, n=10), capsule+water (group 2, n=10), mettoclopramide+capsule (group 3, n=10), metoclopramide +capsule+water (group 4, n=10). The capsule transit times through the stomach and small bowel were evaluated by radiography findings. Gastric transit time (GTT), small intestinal transit time (SITT) and complete passage rate were measured in four groups. GTT's for each group were as follows; $45{\pm}20\;min$ (group 1), $117{\pm}35\;min$ (group 2), $150{\pm}40\;min$ (group 3), and $154{\pm}65\;min$ (group 4), while SITT's were $75{\pm}20\;min$ (group 1), $195{\pm}55\;min$ (group 2), $70{\pm}15\;min$ (group 3), and $76{\pm}15\;min$ (group 4). The complete passage rates were 20% (group 1), 40% (group 2), 20% (group 3), 50% (group 4). In all groups, if CE could pass through the pylorus, it passed all small intestinal tracts within 8 hours (battery life). Administration of water helped CE to pass pylori, except in case of metoclopramide administration. These results indicate that CE could be an useful tool for examining gastrointestinal diseases in the veterinary medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2014

This study investigated the improvement effects of fermented chicory fiber (FCF) on the intestinal function and constipation. The condition of fermentation was Bifidobacterium thermophilum added into chicory fiber (CF) flour suspension with the range of a 1% before incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 48 hr. The intestinal improvement effect of FCF was measured by the charcoal meal transit method in Balb/c mice. The intestinal transit with FCF at a dose of 1.62 mg/g was significantly increased to 88% compared with the CF group (P<0.01). Further, the constipation relief effect was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats with loperamide-induced constipation. After oral administration of FCF 2.06 mg/g was remarkably decreased to 75% in fecal output compared with CF group (P<0.01). These findings indicated that FCF was more effective than CF for the intestinal function and constipation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.597-612
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of soyoligosaccharides on intestinal microflora transit time lipid profiles and immune responses. Forty-eight male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were divided into six groups(SYS: soybean oil-sucrose SYO: soybean oil-oligo SES; esame oil-sucrose SEO:sesame oil-oligo BFS : beef tallow-sucrose BFO : beef tallow-oligo) soyoligo-groups(SYO, SEO, BEO) were fed the diet containing 5% soyoligosaccharides but control groups not fed them and all groups were fed 20% fats for 4 weeks. The number of fecal bifidobacteria tended to increase after soyoligosaccharides feeding. The significant increase was found in SEO group compared to SES in that of fecal bifidobacteria,. Stool wet weight dry fecal weight and stool water content were increased significantly in soyoligo-group(SYO, SEO, BFO) compared to control groups(SYS, SES, BFS) and gastrointestinal transit time(TT) tended to increase. Soyoligosaccharides lowered plasma cholesterol in SEO group significantly more than did other groups. soyoligo-groups(SYO, SEO, BFO) tended to decrease liver triglycerides compared to control groups. Plasma IgG concentration increased in beef tallow groups(BFS, BFO) than that in other dietary fat groups. Soyoligosaccharides and kinds of fats had effects on plasma C3 concentration and mitogenesis of the spleen cells. Soyoligosaccharides had no effects on plasma leptin and insulin concentration but kinds of fats did so that sesame groups were decreased significantly in plasma leptin concentration but increased significantly in plasma insulin concentration compared to other dietary fat groups. In conclusion dietary soyoligosaccharides changed the composition of the intestinal microflora beneficially with sesame oil and partially had effect on plasma and liver lipid profiles .(Korean J Nutrition 33(6) : 597∼612, 2000)

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2020

Obejectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Yijin-tang on pacemaker potentials of small intestinal interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC). Methods : To dissociate the ICC, we used enzymatic digestions from the small intestine in mice. The electrophysiological whole-cell patch-clamp configuration was used to record pacemaker potentials in the cultured ICC and the in vivo effects of Yijin-tang on GI motility were investigated by calculating percent intestinal transit rates (ITR). Results : 1. The ICC generated pacemaker potentials in the murine small intestine. Yijin-tang produced membrane depolarization with concentration-dependent manners in the current clamp mode. 2. Pretreatment with a Ca²⁺ free solution and thapsigargin, a Ca²⁺-ATPase inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum, stopped the pacemaker potentials. In the case of Ca²⁺-free solutions and thapsigargin, Yijin-tang did not induce membrane potential depolarizations. 3. U73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors, blocked the Yijin-tang-induced membrane potential depolarizations. However, U73343, an inactive PLC inhibitors, did not block. 4. In the presence of protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, staurosporine or Rottlerin, Yijin-tang depolarized the pacemaker potentials. However, in the presence of Go6976, Yijin-tang did not depolarize the pacemaker potentials. 5. In mice, intestinal transit rate (ITR) values were significantly and dose-dependently increased by the intragastric administration of Yijin-tang. Conclusions : These results suggest that Yijin-tang can modulate the pacemaker activity of ICC through an internal/external Ca²⁺ and PLC/PKC-dependent pathway in ICC. In addition, Yijin-tang is a good candidate for the development of a prokinetic agent.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.561-570
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• 2017

This study examined the laxative effects of mulberry leaf extract (MLE) fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which contains high levels of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds, against loperamide-induced constipation in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a normal group (N) and three experimental groups; loperamide treated group (C), loperamide and LAB-fermented MLE 300 mg/kg treated group (MLEL), and loperamide and LAB-fermented MLE 600 mg/kg treated group (MLEH). After 33 d, fecal pellet amount, fecal weight, water content of fecal, gastrointestinal transit time and length, and serum lipid profiles were measured. Constipation was induced via subcutaneous injection of loperamide (2.0 mg/kg b. w., twice a day) for the final 5 d of the experiment. After loperamide administration, the LAB-fermented MLE groups showed a significantly increase in the fecal pellets number, wet weight, and water content in rats compared with the C group. Moreover, increases in the intestinal length and viable Lactobacillus numbers in the feces were observed in the LAB-fermented MLE groups. The intestinal transit time was shorter in the LAB-fermented MLE groups than in the C group. In addition, the LAB-fermented MLE groups showed a significant decrease in triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and an increase in HDL-cholesterol level. These results indicated that oral administration of LAB-fermented MLE shows laxative effect in loperamide-induced constipated rats.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.471-478
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• 2016

Background: Constipation is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder. The present study examined the ability of water extract of fermented (FRC) and non-fermented (NFRC) roasted Cassia tora to improve intestinal function and reduce constipation in a rat constipation model. Methods and Results: Different concentration of FRC and NFRC were orally administered loperamide (5 mg/kg; LOP) reduced the number, weight, and water content of feces, as well as intestinal transit motility. However, 24 h-(24 hour fermented roasted-Cassia tora) 300 mg/kg FRC administration increased the number, weight, and water concent of feces, compared to that seen in the LOP group, and also improve intestinal transit mitility and, the thickness of distal colon and mucous fluid. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that LOP-induced constipation was improved by treatment with FRC. Therefore FRC could be used to develop functional foods or natural medicine for constipation. However, further study is needed to clarify how fermentation improves the medicinal properties of roasted C. tora.