• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.635-638
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• 2006

The effects of raw and processed small black soybean powders on dietary fiber content and gastrointestinal function in rats were investigated. The crude oil, protein, and ash contents of raw small black soybean powder were not significantly different from those of processed small black soybean powders. The germination process increased soluble and insoluble dietary fiber contents significantly, as compared to raw small black soybean powder. The germinated small black soybean powder diet led to a significantly different food intake than the basal diet in both normal and loperamide-induced constipated rats. The body weight gains of the experimental groups, however, were not significantly different from that of the basal diet groups for both the normal and loperamide-induced rats. The gastrointestinal transit times and fecal weights for normal and loperamide-induced rats consuming the processed small black soybean powder diet were significantly different from those on a basal diet. These results suggest that the processes of cooking and germinating the small black soybean might contribute to acceleration of fecal excretion in both experimental normal and constipation model rats.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 2024

BIOVITA 3 bacterial species (BIOVITA 3), a probiotic blend powder containing Clostridium butyricum IDCC 1301, Weizmannia coagulans IDCC 1201, and Bacillus subtilis IDCC 1101, has been used as a food ingredient for gut health. However, its efficacy in improving constipation has not been reported. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the functional effects of oral administration of BIOVITA 3 as well as its component strains alone (at 1.0×10⁹ CFU/day) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with loperamide-induced constipation. The study included fecal analysis, gastrointestinal transit ratio, histopathological analysis, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and metagenome analysis. As results, the BIOVITA 3 group showed significant improvements in fecal number, water content, gastrointestinal transit ratio, and thickening of the mucosal layer. In the SCFAs analysis, all probiotic-treated groups showed an increase in total SCFAs compared to the loperamide-constipated group. Changes in microbial abundance and the diversity index of three groups (normal, constipated, and BIOVITA 3) were also defined. Of these, the BIOVITA 3 showed a significant improvement in loperamide-constipated SD-rats. This study suggests the possibility that BIOVITA 3 can be applied as an ingredient in functional foods to relieve constipation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.179-197
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• 2008

Objectives and Methods : The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (EA) at PC6 on intestinal motility in rats. We made over-activated state of intestinal motility with carbachol and suppressed state of intestinal motility with loperamide in rat, and carried out acupuncture with needle retained (NR), low frequency (2 Hz) EA and high frequency (100 Hz) EA at PC6 before or after the administration of carbachol or loperamide. The charcoal travel rate was measured to evaluate the intestinal motility. Results : 1. NR showed no significant influences on intestinal motility of rat in normal state. While, 2 Hz EA and 100 Hz EA at PC6 significantly increased the intestinal motility of rat in normal state. 2. All of the pre-treatment and post-treatment of NR, 2 Hz EA and 100 Hz EA at PC6 showed no significant effects on intestinal motility of rat which was over-activated with carbachol. 3. Both pre-treatment and post-treatment of NR significantly increased intestinal motility in rat which was suppressed with loperamide. 4. Pre-treatment of 2 Hz EA and post-treatment of 100 Hz EA significantly increased intestinal motility in rat which was suppressed with loperamide. Conclusions : These results suggest that acupuncture (NR) and EA on PC6 have preventive and therapeutic effect on suppressed intestinal motility, and NR may be more effective than EA in that condition.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Background : Irregular meals and insufficient exercise are major modern lifestyle-related risk factors for constipation. This study aimed to examine the effects of the aqueous extract of Dendrobium speciosum var. (DM) on the improvement of intestinal function and prevention of constipation in rats. Methods and Results : Constipation in rat was induced by loperamide (4 mg/kg) injection for 5 days and rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: normal control rats (NOR), constipated rats (LOP induced) and constipated rats supplemented with dulcolax-S (POS), DMSG, 100 mg/kg (DMSG-100), 300 mg/kg (DMSG-300) and 500 mg/kg (DMSG-500). The DMSG groups showed increments in the frequency and amount of stools compared to the LOP group. Loperamide treatment markedly reduced the water content of feces, whereas DMSG administration significantly increased fecal water contents. Moreover, DMSG improved intestinal transit speed in constipated-rats. Alcian blue staining revealed increased mucus production by crypt cells and mucus contents in feces and the mucosal surface. Conclusions : In summary, DM extraction significantly improves intestinal function in rats, which indicates the effectiveness of this extract in the prevention and treatment of constipation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.906-916
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• 2017

To investigate the effects of a single bacterium and a mixture of bacteria as probiotics in loperamide-treated animal models, loperamide (3 mg/kg) was administered to SD rats to induce constipation. The individual lactic acid bacterial doses, Enterococcus faecium (EF), Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA), Streptococcus thermophilus (ST), Bifidobacterium bifidum (BB), Bifidobacterium lactis (BL), Pediococcus pentosaceus (PP), and a mixture of the bacteria were orally administered to loperamide-induced constipated rats at a concentration of $10^8CFU/kg$ for 14 days. The weights and water contents of their stools were found to be significantly higher in PP, CKDB (mixture of 5 strains except PP), and CKDBP (CKDB+PP) groups than in the normal (constipation not induced) and the control (constipation-induced) groups (p<0.05). The intestinal transit ratio was significantly higher in all probiotic-treated groups than in the control group, and was the highest in the CKDBP group (p<0.05). The mucosal length and mucus secretion were significantly improved in all probiotic-treated-groups, as compared to that in the control group, and the CKDBP group was found to be the most effective according to immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and total short chain fatty acid content analysis (p<0.05). Lastly, PP, CKDB, and CKDBP showed relatively higher Lactobacillus sp. ratios of 61.94%, 60.31% and 51.94%, respectively, compared to the other groups, based on metagenomic analysis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.583-589
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• 2016

BACKDROUND/OBJECTIVE: Constipation is a condition that can result from intestinal deformation. Because humans have an upright posture, the effects of gravity can cause this shape deformation. Oligosaccharides are common prebiotics and their effects on bowel health are well known. However, studies of the physiological functionality of a product that contains both lactulose and galactooligosaccharides are insufficient. We investigated the constipation reduction effect of a dual-type oligosaccharide, Dual-Oligo, in loperamide-treated rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Dual-Oligo consists of galactooligosaccharides (15.80%) and lactulose (51.67%). Animals were randomly divided into four groups, the normal group (normal), control group (control), low concentration of Dual-Oligo (LDO) group, and high concentration of Dual-Oligo (HDO) group. After 7 days of oral administration, fecal pellet amount, fecal weight, watercontent of fecal were measured. Blood chemistry, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), gastrointestinal transit ratio and length and intestinal mucosa were analyzed. RESULTS: Dual-Oligo increased the fecal weight, and water content of feces in rats with loperamide-induced constipation. Gastrointestinal transit ratio and length and area of intestinal mucosa significantly increased after treatment with Dual-Oligoin loperamide-induced rats. A high concentration of Dual-Oligo tended to produce more acetic acid than that observed for the control group, and Dual-Oligo affected the production of total SCFA. Bifidobacteria concentration of cecal contents in the high-concentration oligosaccharide (HDO) and low-concentration oligosaccharide (LDO) groups was similar to the result of the normal group. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that Dual-Oligo is a functional material that is derived from a natural food product and is effective in ameliorating constipation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1715-1719
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• 2011

The effects of dietary fiber isolated from Synurus deltoides on constipation induced by loperamide (4 mg/kg/day) were investigated. Food intake and body weight both decreased in the 5% S. deltoides dietary fiber and loperamide-treated group (SD5) and 10% S. deltoides dietary fiber and loperamide-treated group (SD10), whereas fecal water contents increased by 2.4 and 3.4-fold in the SD5 and SD10 groups, respectively. The concentrations of total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride in the sera of the SD5 and SD10 groups were lower than those in the control (C) group. However, the biochemical parameters, GOT (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase), and glucose levels, were not affected by the level of S. deltoides. In addition, the concentrations of total-cholesterol and triglyceride in the livers of the SD5 and SD10 groups were also significantly lower than those in the control group. These results suggest that dietary fiber isolated from S. deltoides might ameliorate constipation symptoms, and lower lipid concentrations in the blood and liver.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.672-678
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• 2012

Colitis and constipation are the most common intestinal complaints worldwide. This study examined the beneficial effects of sea cucumber powder for TNBS-induced colitis in ICR mice(n=6/group) and loperamide-induced constipation in rats(n=8/group). Animals were divided into normal and four dried see cucumber treated groups that were named Nor, Con(0 mg/kg), GI(30 mg/kg), GII(100 mg/kg) and GIII(300 mg/kg). In order to induce colitis and constipation, 5% TNBS was injected into distal colon and loperamide (2 mg/kg, twice a day, peroral) was treated for 5 day in the four experimental groups but not the normal group. Gross finding score was decreased tendency by oral administration of sea cucumber in colitis-induced animal model, but colonic weight was not different. Excreted fecal pellet number, weight and water content were increased in the sea cucumber-treated group compared to the non-treated group. The fecal pellet number was reduced within distal colon of the sea cucumber-treated groups. Interestingly, intestinal transit length was increased compared to the non-treated group. Our results demonstrated that colitis and constipation were improved by sea cucumber treatment in the animal models. Specifically, gross finding score in TNBS-induced colitis model was improved by sea cucumber. After animals being fed sea cucumber, excreted fecal number, weight, water contents, and fecal number within distal colon and colonic transit length also get better in loperamide-induced constipation model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.356-360
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• 2005

The maintenance of intestinal health is complex and relies on a delicate balance between the diet, the normal microflora and mucosa, including the digestive epithelium and overlying mucus layer. The colorectal mucosa is protected by a visco-elastic mucus gel formed by high molecular mass glycoproteins referred to as mucins. Abnormality of mucin have been identified with colorectal disease. Constipation increases with age, and is more common among women than men in all age groups, e.g. 10% of men and 20% of women in the USA. The aim of the present study was conducted to investigate that the effects of formulation KTG075 from edible plants on intestinal function on mucus secretion, were examined by loperamide-induced constipation method using Sprague Dawley male rats. Epithelial cells of colonic crypt contained more mucus in the KTG075 group compared with those of the control group and the thickness of the mucus layer stained with alcian blue was significantly thicker in KTG075 treated rats compared with in control rats. Mucus production of epithelial cells of crypt and mucus contents at fecal and mucosa surfaces were reduced by loperamide-induced constipation. These results indicates that a poly herbal formulation KTG075 accelerates evacuation and activated intestines.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.38.2-38.2
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• 2007

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