Abstract
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) could regulate physiological functions in the gastrointestinal tract. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of GABA on colon health in mice. The female Kunming mice were given GABA at doses of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/d for 14 days. Afterwards, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations, pH values, colon index, colon length and weight of colonic and cecal contents were determined to evaluate the effects of GABA on colon health. The results showed that intake of GABA could increase the concentrations of acetate, propionate, butyrate and total SCFAs in colonic and cecal contents, as well as the weight of colonic and cecal contents. The colon index and length of the 40 mg/kg/d GABA-treated group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, decrease of pH values in colonic and cecal contents was also observed. These results suggest that GABA may improve colon health.
Highlights
The colon can maintain the health of the whole body by absorbing water and electrolytes, and salvaging unabsorbed nutrients [1]
Previous studies have suggested that the colon health was closely correlated to the increase of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production, colon length and index, and the decrease of pH values, which provided the theoretical basis for our research [26,27]
SCFAs have been reported to contribute to colon heath through many physiological mechanisms, which included inhibiting the growth of the intestinal pathogenic bacteria [28,29], and reducing inflammatory responses [30] and secondary bile acid formation in the colon [27]
Summary
The colon can maintain the health of the whole body by absorbing water and electrolytes, and salvaging unabsorbed nutrients [1]. It has been shown that short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and pH values play crucial roles in intestinal tract health [2,3,4]. SCFA are metabolic by-products of the gut microbiota fermentation in the colon [5]. This could provide energy for colonic epithelia to maintain normal colonic cell phenotype, stimulate the growth of colorectal cells, and colonic blood flow [2,6]. Propionate and butyrate are the primary forms of SCFA. Propionate and butyrate could accelerate differentiation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells, and protect the colon from carcinogenesis [8]. The decrease of pH values was beneficial to colon health by preventing overgrowth of pH-sensitive pathogenic bacteria in colon [6]
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