The Roles of Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Pectin in Preventing Postoperative Sepsis and Intestinal Adaptation in a Rat Model of Short Bowel Syndrome

• Published in: Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins Vol. 13; no. 5; pp. 1355 - 1362
• Main Authors: Nouri Gharajalar, Sahar, Kazemi-Darabadi, Siamak, Valinezhad Lajimi, Hamid, Shahbazfar, Amir-Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-10-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Applied Microbiology; Bacteria; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Dietary supplements; Digestive system; Gastrointestinal tract; Goblet cells; Ileum; Intestinal adaptation; Jejunum; Lactobacillus acidophilus; Liver; Lymph nodes; Microbiology; Morbidity; Nutrition; Pectin; Pectins - therapeutic use; Peripheral blood; Portal vein; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Protein Science; Rats; Rodents; Sepsis; Sepsis - prevention & control; Short bowel syndrome; Short Bowel Syndrome - therapy; Small intestine; Surgery; Villus; Intestinal adaptation; Pectin; Short bowel syndrome; Bacterial translocation; Lactobacillus acidophilu
• ISSN: 1867-1306; 1867-1314
• DOI: 10.1007/s12602-021-09764-w

One of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality in those with short bowel syndrome (SBS) is sepsis, caused by bacterial translocation (BT). Since synbiotics can cease gut-related bacterial overgrowth, they may serve as a supportive dietary supplement–based strategy after gastrointestinal surgery. This study was conducted to determine the effects of
Lactobacillus acidophilus
and pectin on BT and gut adaptation after extensive small bowel resection in the rat. Forty rats were distributed in four groups. Group A suffered laparotomy, group B suffered gut transection and reanastomosis, SBS rats (group C) suffered 75% small gut resection, and finally, Group D suffered gut resection and treated with a synbiotic cocktail from day 7 before the surgery to day 14 after it. Intestinal structural changes and BT to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, portal blood, and peripheral blood were detected on day 15 post-surgery. Treatment with a synbiotic cocktail led to a considerable reduction in bacterial translocation to liver and portal vein (degree II) compared with SBS untreated rats. Also, synbiotic administration significantly increased jejunum and ileum villus height and crypt depth, ileum villus width, and percentage of goblet cells in jejunum and ileum compared with SBS rats. In the rat model of short bowel syndrome,
L. acidophilus
, and pectin, as a potential synbiotic compound, could decrease the BT from the gut and improve the bowel adaptation.