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Short-Chain Fatty Acids Inhibit Fluid and Electrolyte Loss Induced by Cholera Toxin in Proximal Colon of Rabbit In Vivo

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Abstract

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), acetate,propionate, and butyrate, are produced by bacterialfermentation in the colon and stimulate Na+and Cl- absorption. We have studied the effects of SCFAon fluid and electrolyte absorption during cholera toxin(CT)-induced colonic secretion in rabbit, using asteady-state perfusion technique with marker (PEG)dilution. Perfusion with SCFA significantly (P <0.01) reduced colonic water secretion. Butyratereduced water secretion the most (95%), followed bypropionate (90%), and acetate (80%). Butyratesignificantly (P < 0.001) reduced secretions of Na+(95.5%), K+ (75.2%), and Cl- (80.7%) ions but notHCO3 - ions. Propionate similarly reduced secretion ofHCO3 - (45.3%). Acetate significantly (P < 0.001)inhibited Na+ (76.4%) and Cl- (75.7%) secretion, but the inhibitions of K+ (23.6%) and HCO3 - (28.8%)were not significantly different from the controls. Weconclude that SCFA reduce CT-induced water andelectrolyte secretion in the rabbit proximal colon, and its potential as an antidiarrheal agentshould be further evaluated.

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Authors
  1. G. H. Rabbani
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  2. M. John Albert
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  3. Hamidur Rahman
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  4. Asis Kumar Chowdhury
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Rabbani, G.H., Albert, M.J., Rahman, H. et al. Short-Chain Fatty Acids Inhibit Fluid and Electrolyte Loss Induced by Cholera Toxin in Proximal Colon of Rabbit In Vivo. Dig Dis Sci 44, 1547–1553 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026650624193

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