Laxative Effect of Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© on Loperamide‐induced Constipation in Rats

Abstract

Constipation is a common healthcare problem affecting all age groups throughout the world. Recently, dietary approach using probiotic intervention is increasingly recognized as a natural health improving supplement, attributed to their beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health. Probiotics, lactic acid bacteria strains, in particular, are frequently incorporated into fermented milk products, but other confectionery products are also widely available and potentially developed as functional confectionery products. It has been suggested that chocolate is an excellent protective carrier for optimal delivery of the bacterium into the colon, and could be an attractive alternative probiotic supplements for consumers. Despite these suggestions, little attempt has been made to incorporate probiotics into chocolate and to evaluate their potential applicability on gastrointestinal health. Thus, the potential gastrointestinal health benefits of Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© containing Streptococcus thermophilus MG510 and Lactobacillus plantarumLRCC5193 was investigated on rodents model with loperamide‐induced constipation. The constipated Sprague Dawley rats were induced intragastrically with loperamide (5 m/kg) for 7 days, followed by another 14 days of Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© treatment (2 × 1010 CFU/day). Colon and ileum was collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Meanwhile, fecal samples were collected for moisture content, appearance and microbiota analysis. Blood serum samples were also collected for biochemical analyses (TG, TC, MPO activity), respectively. Feeding of Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© to constipated rats were shown to increase fecal pellet number and moisture content, as well as modulate microbiota which is associated with constipation. Moreover, Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© treatment was capable of increasing the thickness of the colonic mucosa, colon muscle layer and the number of goblet cells, intestinal motility, and up‐regulating mRNA expression levels of ileum and colonic tight junction proteins altered by constipation. Additionally, Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© also exerted immunomodulatory effects, as demonstrated by a reduction of systemic inflammatory markers and improvement of the histological lesions in the colon. Altogether, these results demonstrate that Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© had significant positive effects on loperamide‐induced constipation and also in immunomodulatory alteration in colon region. Lotte Probiotic Chocolat© may be effective as dietary adjuncts for the treatment of constipation.