Laxative effects of fermented rice extract (FRe) in normal rats

Abstract

The present study was performed to evaluate the laxative effects of fermented rice extract (FRe) in normal rats. FRe was orally administered at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg once per day for 15 days, and the changes in fecal parameters (fecal pellet numbers, weights, and water contents), gastrointestinal transit ratio, fecal mucus contents, colonic mucus-producing cell numbers, and mean colonic mucosa thicknesses were examined in normal rats. The laxative effects of FRe were compared with those of sodium picosulfate. At the three doses administered, FRe treatment resulted in marked increases in fecal pellet numbers and water contents discharged over 24 h, surface mucus thickness in the colonic lumen, intestinal charcoal-transit ratio, and in thickness and mucus-producing goblet cell number of the colonic mucosa with decreases in fecal pellet numbers and mean diameters remaining in the colonic lumen in comparison to the vehicle control. With the exception of intestinal charcoal-transit ratio, the effects of FRe were less marked than those of sodium picosulfate. The results of this study suggest that FRe has a laxative effect without causing diarrhea, as compared with sodium picosulfate, and FRe may be highly effective as a complementary medicine in humans suffering from lifestyle-induced constipation.