Effects of germinated barley foodstuff on microflora and short chain fatty acid production in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in rats

Germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) administration has been previously reported to suppress dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis. In this study, we investigated the roles of the intestinal microflora and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) following administration of GBF in DSS-induced rat colitis. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 3% (w/w of diet) DSS in GBF-diets for 5 days. The control rats were fed 3% DSS in cellulose-diets for 5 days. The administration of GBF effectively prevented bloody diarrhea and mucosal damage as compared to control rats. GBF significantly elevated fecal acetic acid and n-butyric acid levels. GBF tended to increase the number of eubacteria and that of bifidobacteria as compared to control rats. In addition, the number of enterobacteriaceae, the total number of aerobes and bacteroidaseae, were significantly lower in rats fed GBF than in the control group. It is suggested that the therapeutic effects of GBF for DSS-induced colitis depend mainly on increased SCFAs, which are accompanied by changes of composition of intestinal bacteria.