TY  - EJOU
AU  - LATORRACA*, DIANA B. DOCK*,  JOSÉ E. AGUILAR-NASCIMENTO**, MARCIA Q. 

TI  - Probiotics enhance the recovery of gut atrophy in experimental malnutrition
T2  - BIOCELL

PY  - 2004
VL  - 28
IS  - 2
SN  - 1667-5746

AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of probiotics on the recovery of the bowel atrophy induced by malnutrition in rats. METHODS: Twenty-and-six Wistar rats (200-250g) were fed with either a normoproteic (sham group, n=6) or a free-protein diet (n=20) during 12 days. Twelve malnourished rats were randomized to recover during 15 days with either a hydrolyzed diet (control group, n=6) or the same diet enriched with probiotics (<i>Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus</i>; probiotic group, n=6). RESULTS: Probiotic group showed similar gain of body, liver and bowel weight than controls. At the jejunum, both the villus height (383±49 vs. 321±46mm; p=0.04) and crypt depth (157±31 vs. 125±10mm; p=0.04) were greater in probiotic group than in controls. The crypt depth at the cecum (214±22 vs. 169±43 mm; p=0.05) and the wall width at both the cecum (410±18 vs. 340±61 mm; p=0.02) and sigmoid (479±130 vs. 330±62 mm; p=0.03) were higher in probiotic than in control group. CONCLUSION: <i>Streptococcus thermophilus</i> and <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> enhance the recovery of gut atrophy induced by malnutrition. Probiotics can be useful as oral adjuvants during the recovery of malnutrition.
KW  - probiotics
KW  -  malnutrition
KW  -  small bowel
KW  -  colon
KW  -  mucosa

DO  - 10.32604/biocell.2004.28.143