Abstract
Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oat β-glucan (βG) on bile salts (BS) diffusion across the intestinal mucosa.
Methods: Pigs used as a human model were fed a control diet (n = 6) or a diet containing 10% oat βG (n = 6) for 28 d. Sections from the proximal, mid jejunum and terminal ileum were mounted into Ussing chambers. Glycodeoxycholate (GDC) with or without addition of oat βG to the mucosal side of the chambers, was sampled from the serosal side every 20 min for 80 min. Fresh tissue samples and tissues after diffusion experiments were fixed for microscopic comparison.
Results: (1) GDC diffuses slower across the terminal ileum from pigs fed the βG diet; (2) added βG to the mucosal side reduces the diffusion of GDC across terminal ileal tissue from pigs fed the control diet but has no significant effect for tissues from the βG diet.
Conclusions: Oat βG reduces BS diffusion across porcine terminal ileal tissue, consistent with a potential mechanism underlying plasma cholesterol reduction.
Funding source(s): ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls.