The effect of antibiotics on hepatic lipid metabolism following small bowel bypass

Abstract

To evaluate the hypothesis that hepatic lipid accumulation following small intestinal bypass may be related to bacterial overgrowth in the defunctionalized small bowel, hepatic lipid metabolism was evaluated in rats with small intestinal bypass treated and not treated with antibiotics. Small bowel bypass in nutritionally obese rats decreased body weight and food intake when compared to sham-operated controls. Antibiotic-treated rats ate less than did the rats not receiving antibiotics. Small intestinal bypass did not increase hepatic lipid accumulation in no-antibiotic treated rats. The small intestinal bypass rats receiving antibiotics had less total hepatic lipid and less hepatic triglyceride than did sham-operated controls and less hepatic lipid than did the rats not receiving antibiotics. Decreasing the bacterial population of the defunctionalized small bowel is associated with changes in hepatic lipid metabolism in rats with small bowel bypass. These changes may be produced by alterations in nutrient intake or by elimination of a “toxic” substance produced by small bowel bacterial overgrowth.