Hepato- and gastro-protective activity of purified oat 1-3, 1-4-β-D-glucans of different molecular weight

Protective and antioxidant properties of highly purified oat beta-glucans of high and low molecular weight in liver and stomach were evaluated. The novelty in approach was to determine whether dietary beta-glucans affect the parameters of oxidative stress directly in the stomach and indirectly in the liver, especially in inflammation states. Physicochemical properties e.g. viscoelastic was found as strictly dependent from molecular weight of oat beta-glucans hence its metabolic activity could also show dependence. Three groups of rats were fed control diet and diet supplemented with low and high molecular weights oat beta-glucans. Animals were divided into controls and individuals with experimentally induced intestinal inflammation. Most active in increasing of total antioxidant status was low molecular weight beta-glucan. High molecular weight beta-glucan supplementation inhibits lipid oxidation the most in LPS treated animals. The results obtained from experiment encourage for dietary intervention with oat beta-glucans for stomach and liver protection during existing enteritis. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.