Abstract
This study sought to morphometrically analyze the jejunal wall of protein-malnourished rats administered a probiotic supplement. The sample consisted of recently weaned Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) distributed among four groups: animals given a commercial diet (G1, n = 4); animals given the same ration as G1 plus a probiotic supplement (G2, n = 4); animals given a 4% protein diet (G3, n = 4); and animals given the same ration as G3 plus a probiotic supplement (G4, n = 4). After 12 weeks, part of the jejunum was harvested and subjected to routine histological processing. Transverse sections with a thickness of 3 µm were stained with HE, and histochemical techniques were used to assay for glycoconjugates, including staining with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) + diastase, Alcian Blue (AB) solution at pH 2.5, and Alcian Blue solution at pH 1.0. Morphometric analysis of the bowel wall showed that the probiotic culture used in this study induced hypertrophy of several layers of the jejunal wall in well-nourished animals and reduced the bowel wall atrophy usually observed in protein-malnourished animals. Neither malnutrition nor the use of probiotics altered the relationship between the number of goblet cells and the number of enterocytes.
Highlights
Malnutrition remains one of the most devastating problems worldwide, in developing countries (Solis et al 2002)
The animals were randomly divided into four groups: G1 animals were given NUVILAB® ration for rodents (n = 4); G2 animals were given the same ration as G1 and a solution containing a probiotic supplement via gastric tube five times per week (n = 4); G3 animals were given a diet of which the protein content was reduced to 4%, according to the protocol suggested by Araújo et al (2005) (n = 4); and G4 animals were given the same ration as G3 plus a probiotic supplement, as described above (n = 4)
It is worth noting that well-nourished animals administered the probiotic supplement (G2) exhibited an 8.2% greater weight gain compared to well-nourished animals without the supplement (G1) (p
Summary
Malnutrition remains one of the most devastating problems worldwide, in developing countries (Solis et al 2002). This study consisted of a morphometric analysis of the jejunal wall strata in protein-malnourished rats administered a probiotic supplement.
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