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Colonic Fermentation of Ispaghula, Wheat Bran, Glucose, and Albumin to Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Ammonia Evaluated in Vitro in 50 Subjects

Department of Medicine A, Division of Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Mette Rye Clausen, MD

Department of Medicine A, Division of Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Helen Bonnén, MD

Department of Medicine A, Division of Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Hanne Hove, MD

Department of Medicine A, Division of Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Klavs Holtug, MD

Department of Medicine A, Division of Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

The production of short-chain fatty acids and ammonia was measured in 16.6% fecal homogenates from 50 subjects incubated at 37°C for 6 and 24 hours. All 50 homogenates produced ammonia and short-chain fatty acids of any chain length (C2-C5). Incubation for 24 hours with dietary fiber (ispaghula husk or wheat bran), albumin, or glucose (10 mg/ mL) increased the short-chain fatty acid production (43.6 ± 2.8, 45.4 ± 2.0, 60.3 ± 3.2, and 65.8 ± 3.1 mmol/L, respectively) compared with controls (21.4 ± 1.3 mmol/L). The degradation of different substrates was associated with the production of different amounts of ammonia and short-chain fatty acids. Ispaghula, wheat bran, albumin, and glucose were fermented to acetate (>2 mmol/L; 24-hour incubations) in 86%, 96%, 98%, and 98% of the homogenates, to propionate in 80%, 76%, 100%, and 68%, and to butyrate in 32%, 94%, 88%, and 54% of the homogenates, respectively. Isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate were produced from albumin in all (100%) of the homogenates, but only in 2 to 4% of the homogenates incubated with ispaghula or glucose. Ammonia was always (100%) produced after the addition of albumin and always (98%) consumed (assimilated) when glucose was fermented. Surgery (sigmoid or right- or left-sided colonic resection) did not change the pattern of ammonia and short-chain fatty acid production from these substrates.

This study suggests that the different colonic flora from a large number of subjects share general biochemical characteristics, which metabolize different substrates to specific patterns of ammonia and short-chain fatty acids. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 16:433-439, 1992)

Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Vol. 16, No. 5, 433-439 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/0148607192016005433


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