L-Arabinose is a natural, poorly absorbed pentose that selectively inhibits intestinal sucrase activity. Rats were fed for 4 weeks on a 20% sucrose diet containing 1% L-arabinose. Experiment 1 was carried out to investigate the effects of L-arabinose feeding on the intestinal microflora and weights of the cecum, cecal contents and fat pad. In experiment 1, the cecal contents in 5% glucose containing 3% skim milk were frozen at -80°C until needed for incubation, while the cecal contents in experiment 2 were incubated immediately after dissection.
The body weights of the rats fed on the 1% L-arabinose diet were not significantly different from those fed on the control diet. The weight of the fat pad tended to be less in the L-arabinose group than in the control group, while the weight of the cecum and amount of ammonia in the cecal contents were significantly higher with L-arabinose ingestion. The amount of total organic acids tended to be highest in the cecal contents of the L-arabinose group.
Bifidobacteria were observed in the L-arabinose group in experiments 1 and 2, but not in the control group. The viable count of bifidobacteria was not influenced by preserving the cecal contents at -80°C. The results suggest that L-arabinose feeding influenced the intestinal microflora and induced the production of bifidobacteria.
