Effect of Soy Yogurt (Lactic Acid-Fermented Okara in Soymilk) on Intestinal Polyamine Level in Rats

Abstract

Polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, are important constituents of all mammalian cells and are essentially involved in a variety of regulatory step during normal and malignant cell proliferation. Okara and soymilk fermented with Lactobacillus were combined to form soy yogurt, which is rich in polyamine content. We investigated the effect of soy yogurt on polyamine levels in intestines and blood of rats. The ingestion of soy yogurt induced the increase of mucosal polyamine level in small intestine. Although the polyamine level in cecum was increased by the ingestion of soy yogurt, the polyamine levels in large intestine and blood were not increased. It was found that the ingestion of polyamine-rich soy yogurt could affect the polyamine level in only small intestinal mucosa. The large intestine seems to regulate the polyamine level to prevent own cells from hyperproliferation. It was assumed that blood kept polyamine level constant in spite of the level changes in intestines.