Date: 01/04/2010

Elli Marina, Bessi Elena, Cattivelli Daniela, Soldi Sara, Morelli Lorenzo (2005). Nutrafoods 4 (2-3), 37.

Date: 01/04/2010

Date: 01/04/2010

Elli M, Cattivelli D, Soldi S, Bonatti M, Morelli L
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Sep;42 Suppl 3 Pt 2

GOAL: To assess the effects of the consumption of psyllium seed husk on fecal
bifidobacteria in healthy women and the ability of fecal bifidobacteria to
metabolize psyllium seed husk in vitro. BACKGROUND: Poor microbiologic evidences are nowadays available concerning the ability of psyllium seed husk to promote the growth of bifidobacteria in human gut. STUDY: Eleven healthy women consumed7.0 g/d of psyllium seed husk for 1 month. Viability of bifidobacteria in feces was assessed at different time points. RESULTS: In vivo results showed that the average fecal content of viable bifidobacteria was not significantly affected
even if fecal counts were found to increase significantly after treatment in 6
out of 11 women having low initial concentration. In vitro trials conducted on
bifidobacteria strains isolated from treated women failed to confirm the
prebiotic potential of undigested psyllium seed husk, whereas treatment with
simulated gastric and pancreatic juices and mimicking physical and chemical
alterations during human gut transit allowed fecal Bifidobacterium isolates to
metabolize psyllium seed husk as carbon source in a growth medium deprived of
sugar. CONCLUSIONS: Psyllium seed husk can be metabolized by bifidobacteria only after partial hydrolysis. Bifidogenic potential can be detected in healthy women only in case of low level of fecal bifidobacteria before treatment.