Prophylactic use of probiotic chocolate modulates intestinal physiological functions in constipated rats

BACKGROUND This study investigated the in vivo prophylactic effect of probiotic chocolate on constipation. Rats were administered chocolate containing 2.5 x 10(10) CFU g(-1) of probiotics daily for 4 weeks and treated with loperamide (5 mg kg(-1)) daily at the fourth week of treatment. RESULTS Probiotic chocolate treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased the intestinal motility, colon length, fecal moisture content and number of excreted fecal pellets in constipated rats. Moreover, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction data and histological images also revealed that both probiotic chocolate LYC and BB12 treatments were capable of upregulating the mRNA expression levels of colonic ZO-1, occludin and AQP8, leading to the maintenance of the defensive barrier function in the constipated rats compared with the negative controls. Interestingly, these treatments also modulated gut bacterial populations by increasing the abundance levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as well as reducing the abundance level of Enterobacteriaceae. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that probiotic chocolate LYC and BB12 could potentially be used as alternative agents for prophylactic constipation. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry