In the previous paper of this series, we reported that three strains of bacteria, i. e.
Clostridium sordellii,
Propionibacterium acnes and
Campylobacter sp. were identified as being able to form cyclohexylamine (CHA) from sodium cyclamate (CHS-Na) in
in vitro experiments. These strains have been isolated from the gastrointestinal flora of CHS-Na converter guinea pigs. To confirm their ability to convert CBS-Na to CHA
in vivo, these were given alone or in combination to germfree and conventional mice in drinking water containing CBS-Na, and excretion of CHA in the urine and the stools was examined. The growth of the bacteria was also checked.
Campylobacter sp. seemed unable to establish itself in the intestine, because the bacterial count decreased from 10
4 at 3 days to below 10
2 at several weeks when this bacterium was administered alone. On the other hand, the mixed cultures of
Campylobacter sp. with each of the other two strains and of all three strains combined were found to establish themselves well in the intestine of the germfree mice as indicated by bacterial counts of 10
7-10
10.
C. sordellii and
P. acnes were also able to colonize the intestine alone in or combination; the bacterial counts were always 10
9-10. As regards excretion of CHA in the urine and the stools, positive results were obtained with the combination of
Campylobacter sp. and
C. sordellii, and of all three strains. In the former case, the excretion of CHA gradually increased for 4 weeks and reached 2mg/day/mouse. The results were similar in germfree and conventional mice. The results of this experiment suggest that the converting bacteria were
Campylobacter sp. and
C. sordellii. However, it is not clear which bacterium is the main converting bacterium at present, so a more detailed investigation of the CH-Na conversion mechanism by both bacteria will be carried out in the next phase of this study.
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