Experimental Studies in Rats on the Effects on Growth andIntestinal Microflora of a New Mix Combining Calcium, Iron, Zinc and aPrebiotic in a Milk-like Vehicle

摘要

The aim of this work was to determine the effects of a new mineral mix combined with a prebiotic on growth,mineral deposit and intestinal microflora using a milk-like vehicle. This study was performed with Sprague Dawleyfemale rats separated into 7 groups. Group 1 was fed with a deficient diet on its mineral content, group 2, 3 and 4 were fedwith normal diets on their mineral content during 28 days but group 2 was fed with a diet containing reference Ca, Fe andZn sources and groups 3 and 4 with diets containing other Ca, Fe and Zn sources that were evaluated. Group 4 receivedadditionally a diet containing a prebiotic. Groups 5, 6 and 7 were submitted to a depletion period of 14 days during whichthey were fed as group 1 and then to a repletion period of 14 days when they were fed with the same diets as group 2, 3and 4 respectively. Initial and final body weight, average growth rate, liver and femur weight, iron and zinc liver contentas well as calcium and zinc femur content were the parameters evaluated for the growth and mineral deposit analysis. Anaerobes,enterobacteria, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria recount was performed from feces samples collected on differenttreatment days. Mineral sources under study presented slightly better characteristics than the reference standard ones.Moreover, the combination with a prebiotic may produce some advantages related to mineral absorption and intestinalmicroflora composition as a bifidogenic effect was confirmed.