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Indigestible components of grape seeds modify cecal enzyme activity in rats
1Departamento de Nutrición I, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain.
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.
Conclusion:
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.
