Nutrition
Volume 22, Issue 1 , Pages 76-81, January 2006

Bifidogenic growth stimulator for the treatment of active ulcerative colitis: a pilot study

  • Asuka Suzuki, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21th Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Keiichi Mitsuyama, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21th Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +81-942-31-7561; fax: +81-942-34-2623.
    • ,
  • Hironori Koga, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21th Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Nobuo Tomiyasu, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21th Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Junya Masuda, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21th Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Kosuke Takaki

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Osamu Tsuruta, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Atsushi Toyonaga

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
    • ,
  • Michio Sata

      Affiliations

    • Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan

Received 6 September 2004; accepted 19 April 2005. published online 13 October 2005.

Abstract 

Objectives

Experimental studies have shown that luminal antigens are involved in chronic intestinal inflammatory disorders. Bifidogenic growth stimulator (BGS) is a prebiotic preparation produced by Propionibacterium freudenreichii isolated from Swiss cheese. Previously BGS was shown to act in the colon as a growth stimulator of Bifidobacteria. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of BGS in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Methods

Twelve patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis received orally 4.5 g of BGS daily for 4 wk in an open-label treatment protocol while the baseline anti-inflammatory therapy was continued. The response to treatment was evaluated clinically and endoscopically. Concentrations of short-chain fatty acids and the composition of commensal bacteria, including Bifidobacteria, Enterobacteria and Bacteroides species, were studied in stool samples.

Results

Patients showed improvement in their clinical activity index scores, with a significant decrease in the score from 7.4 ± 2.8 to 4.7 ± 1.5 (mean ± standard error of the mean, P < 0.01). The endoscopic index score decreased from 4.4 ± 1.7 to 2.8 ± 1.8 (P < 0.05) with treatment. Patients showed an increase in stool butyrate concentrations after BGS treatment (P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in stool levels of bacteria as a result of BGS treatment. No side effects related to BGS were observed.

Conclusions

Oral BGS therapy may represent a non-toxic way to treat ulcerative colitis. However, controlled studies are needed to demonstrate its efficacy in the treatment of this disorder.

Keywords:  Bifidobacteria , Bifidogenic growth stimulator , Butyrate , Prebiotics , Ulcerative colitis

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 This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare.

PII: S0899-9007(05)00236-4

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2005.04.013

Nutrition
Volume 22, Issue 1 , Pages 76-81, January 2006

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