caa a22 4500 38806191X CHVBK 20180307125123.0 cr unu---uuuuu 161130e199802 xx s 000 0 eng 10.1017/S0007114598001111 doi S0007114598001111 pii (NATIONALLICENCE)cambridge-10.1017/S0007114598001111 The bioavailability of α- and β-carotene is affected by gut microflora in the rat [Elektronische Daten] The present study examined whether the intestinal microflora could affect the bioavailability and vitamin A activity of dietary α- and β-carotene in the rat. In the first set of experiments, we used conventional, germ-free (axenic), and human-flora-associated (heteroxenic) rats. In a second series, conventional rats were treated with either an antibiotic mixture or a potent inhibitor of gastric secretion (Omeprazole). All animals were first depleted of vitamin A over 4 weeks and then were fed on a sterilized diet supplemented with 14 mg β-carotene and 3 mg α-carotene/kg for 2 weeks. In both experiments, a reduction in the intestinal microflora resulted in an increased storage of β-carotene, α-carotene and vitamin A in the liver. Neither the nature of the metabolism of the intestinal microflora (aerobic or anaerobic) nor treatment with omeprazole, to modify intestinal pH, induced a significant effect on the measured variables. When incubated with 15 μmol β-carotene/l for 72 h, neither the anaerobic nor the aerobic sub-fractions obtained from rat or human faeces contributed to β-carotene degradation or to vitamin A synthesis. These findings suggest that reduction in gut microflora results in a better utilization of α- and β-carotene by rats, although bacteria do not have a direct effect on the bioavailability of these pigments. Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1998 Carotenoids nationallicence Vitamin A nationallicence Gut microflora nationallicence Bioavailability nationallicence Grolier P. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France Borel P. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France Duszka C. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France Lory S. Unité d'écologie et Physiologie du Système Digestif, INRA, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, Cedex, France Alexandre-Gouabau M. C. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France Azais-Braesco V. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France Nugon-Baudon L. Unité d'écologie et Physiologie du Système Digestif, INRA, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, Cedex, France British Journal of Nutrition Cambridge University Press 80/2(1998-02), 199-204 0007-1145 80:2<199 1998 80 BJN https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114598001111 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114598001111 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Grolier P. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Borel P. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Duszka C. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Lory S. Unité d'écologie et Physiologie du Système Digestif, INRA, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, Cedex, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Alexandre-Gouabau M. C. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Azais-Braesco V. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine de Clermont-Ferrand, Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Nugon-Baudon L. Unité d'écologie et Physiologie du Système Digestif, INRA, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, Cedex, France NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- British Journal of Nutrition Cambridge University Press 80/2(1998-02), 199-204 0007-1145 80:2<199 1998 80 BJN CC0 http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0 nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-cambridge