1: Br J Nutr. 2005 Apr;93 Suppl 1:S157-61. 

Impact of inulin and oligofructose on gastrointestinal peptides.

Delzenne NM, Cani PD, Daubioul C, Neyrinck AM.

Unit of Pharmacokinetics, Metabolism, Nutrition and Toxicology, MD/FARM/PMNT
7369, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E Mounier 73, B-1200 Brussels,
Belgium. Delzenne@pmnt.ucl.ac.be

In the present paper, we summarise the data supporting the following hypothesis:
dietary inulin-type fructans extracted from chicory root may modulate the
production of peptides, such as incretins, by endocrine cells present in the
intestinal mucosa, this phenomenon being involved in the regulation of food
intake and/or systemic effects. To test this hypothesis, male Wistar rats
received for 3 weeks either a standard diet or the same diet supplemented with
10 % inulin-type fructans with different degrees of polymerisation. All the
effects were most pronounced with the diet containing oligofructose, and
consisted of (i) a decrease in mean daily energy intake and in epididymal fat
mass; (ii) a higher caecal pool of the anorexigenic glucagon-like peptide-1
(7-36) amide (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY), due to caecal tissue proliferation;
(iii) an increase in GLP-1 and of its precursor - proglucagon mRNA -
concentrations in the proximal colon; (iv) an increase in portal serum level of
GLP-1 and PYY; (v) a decrease in serum orexigenic peptide ghrelin. Moreover,
oligofructose supplementation improved glucose homeostasis (i.e. decreased
glycaemia, increased pancreatic and serum insulin content) in diabetic rats
previously treated with streptozotocin, a phenomenon that is partly linked to
the reduction in food intake and that correlates with the increase in colic and
portal GLP-1 content. Based on these results it appears justified to test, in
human subjects, the hypothesis that dietary inulin-type fructans could play a
role in the management of obesity and diabetes through their capacity to promote
secretion of endogenous gastrointestinal peptides involved in appetite
regulation.

PMID: 15877889 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]