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Effects of metronidazole and probiotics oligosaccharide on bacterial translocation in protein malnutrition


BB Mehel
B Souad
H Gorine
B Ahmed
P Pochart
S Djamel
K Omar

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the effects of metronidazole, probiotics oligosaccharide on indigenous microflora and bacterial translocation (BT) in protein malnourished rats. Thirty male Wistar
rats were divided into three groups: protein malnourished rats PM (group1, n = 10) were fed with maize only, protein malnourished rats (group 2, n = 10) were received metronidazole and protein malnourished rats (group 3, n = 10) were received both metronidazole and probiotics-oligosaccharide for fifteen days. Metronidazole (1000 mg/kg/day) was given via an orogastric feeding tube to the second and third groups. Lyophilized probiotics-oligosaccharide (0.5 mg/g body weight/day) was given in two doses via the same route to the third group. All animals were sacrificed after fifteen days of protein malnutrition and cultures of the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), liver, spleen and cecal contents were done. The
incidence of bacterial translocation (BT) was 30% (3/10) in protein malnourished group 1,60% (06/10) in group 2 where protein malnutrition was associated with metronidazole and 25% (2.5/10) in group 3
whose animals were subjected to protein malnutrition associated with metronidazole and probiotics oligosaccharide. A significant increase in the BT incidence was found in group 2 (P < 0.05), while a significant decrease was found in group 3 when compared to group 1. The total bacterial count of cecal flora was significantly low in group 3 than in group 1 (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the incidence of BT in protein malnutrition is increased by using an antibiotic while probioticsoligosaccharide decreases this incidence in protein malnutrition induced by antibiotic. Thus, we
conclude that probiotics-oligosaccharide can effectively protect the intestinal mucosa and prevent BT in protein malnourished infants.

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eISSN: 1684-5315