Effects of Oral Administration of Camel Milk and Urine on Gut Microbiota: Biochemical and Microbiological Profiling in Rats

Samah O Noor,Manal S Alenini

doi:10.4236/ajmb.2018.81001

Abstract

Human intestinal tract contained a diverse number of microbial communities which performed a significant role in human health. The presence of gut microbiota was affected mainly by diet. Camel milk is the source of nutrition and provides all the essential nutrients for growth. It has great significance in the treatment of liver, spleen, and anemic infections. Camel urine has also many medical advantages. In this study we examined the effect of camel milk and urine and a mixture of both (milk + urine) on the growth of Gut microbiota using an in vivo animal model. Fresh fecal samples were collected before and after administration of the tested materials. After that, the microbial analysis was conducted via culturing, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and metabolic analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The result indicated that the numbers of bacterial groups were increased after the first dose. Coliform group have significant increase when given a mix of milk and urine compared to control group with P < 0.05. Bifidobacterium group have significant increase in their number in the Milk and Mix groups compared to control group with P < 0.05. The concentration of Short-chain fatty acids in fecal samples was increased in Milk and Mix groups compared to control group. In conclusion, drinking camal milk, urine or a mix of both increased the growth of Gut microbiota.

Highlights

In this study we examined the effect of camel milk and urine and a mixture of both on the growth of Gut microbiota using an in vivo animal model
The data revealed that using camel milk or a mix of both milk and urine increased all types of tested bacteria compared to control
This might be due to the presence of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in camel milk, while some researchers reported that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exist in numerous food products, are part of natural microbial community in gastrointestinal tract [26]

Summary

Introduction

There are more than 1014 organisms in the human colon alone with at least 400 species, approximately 10 times more than the sheer number of somatic cells [1] [2]. Microbiota in the colon and rectum is much more diverse and larger than the population of upper parts of GIT. The main objectives of the microbiota in the intestine are metabolic (Trophic function), barrier effect (protective) and enhancement of the immune system [3]. The main products of gut bacterial fermentation in the colon are the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The techniques for the study of microbial communities in the intestine are diverse, generally two methods are applied: Culture-based and Culture-Independent techniques including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), Fluorescence in situ hybridization, Cloning and Sequencing [6] [7] [8]

Methods

Results

Conclusion