Effects of new dietary fiber from Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) on gut function and intestinal microflora in adult mice

Abstract

Much attention has been focused recently on functional foods. Ume, the Japanese name for the apricot of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc., is an example of a Japanese traditional functional food. There are, however, few reports on the effects of fiber from this fruit on bowel function. With this objective, we prepared ume fiber to test the hypothesis that it can change gut function and intestinal flora in mice. Mice were fed an ume fiber (UF) or cellulose (CF) diet (control) for 40 days. The fecal weight, fecal lipids, plasma lipids and cecal composition of the microflora were analyzed. The amount of feces was significantly greater in the UF group than in the CF group (p < 0.01). The fecal lipids content (% DW) of the feces sampled on the final day of the experiment were significantly greater in the UF group than in the CF group (p < 0.01). Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations tended to be lower in the UF compared to the CF group (p = 0.058). Occupation ratios of Bacteroides and Clostridium cluster IV were significantly greater in the cecal flora of the UF group. Our results suggest that ume fiber possesses the fecal lipid excretion effects and feces bulking effects.

Keywords: dietary fiber; fecal output; intestinal flora; plasma lipids; ume.

Figure 1.

The amount of freeze-dried feces were significantly greater in the ume fiber (UF) group than in the cellulose (CF) group. Values are means ± SE (n = 7). The data were analyzed using t-test analysis. **Significantly different from the CF group (p < 0.01); *Significantly different from the CF group (p < 0.05).

Figure 2.

Fecal lipids contents (%) from the feces sampled on the final day of the experiment. The fecal lipids content (% DW) of the feces sampled on the final day of the experiment were significantly greater in the ume fiber (UF) group than in the cellulose (CF) group (p < 0.01) Values are means ± SE (n = 7). The data were analyzed using t-test analysis.

Figure 3.

Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations of mice in the ume fiber (UF) and cellulose (CF) groups. Values are means ± SE (n = 7). The data were analyzed using t-test analysis (p = 0.058).

Figure 4.

Composition of cecal intestinal microflora of mice in the ume fiber (UF) and cellulose (CF) groups. OTUs (operational taxonomic units), which correspond to either T-RFs (terminal restriction fragments) or T-RF clusters, detected by T-RFLP analysis. Values are means ± SE (n = 7). **Significantly different (p < 0.01) from the CF group. The data were analyzed using t-test analysis. The letters correspond to the following phylogenetic bacterial groups: (A) Bacteroides, Clostridium cluster IV (OTUs 370); (B) Clostridium cluster IV (OTUs 168, 749); (C) Clostridium cluster IX, Megamonas (OTUs 110); (D) Clostridium cluster XI (OTUs 338); (E) Clostridium subcluster XIVa (OTUs 106, 494, 505, 517, 754, 955, 990); (F) Clostridium cluster XI, Clostridium subcluster XIVa (OTUs 919); (G) Clostridium subcluster XIVa, Enterobacteriales (OTUs 940).; (H) Clostridium cluster XVIII (OTUs 423, 650); (I) Bacteroides (OTUs 469, 853); (J) Bifidobacterium (OTUs 124); (K) Lactobacillales (OTUs 332, 520, 657); (L) Prevotella (OTUs 137, 317); (M) Others.

Figure 5.

The method of manufacturing ume fiber.