Daiwa Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.：Rice Kefiran（Phytogalactoglucan from LK-Lactobacillus culture with rice medium）

⑤ Improvement of intestinal environment

The histamine contents in the cecal content and faeces were increased in rats loaded with cholesterol. This result shows that the excretion amount of sterol and organic acid is increased by the intake of the high-cholesterol diet to cause impairment of the intestinal environment, such as the intestinal flora. In the Rice Kefiran-fed groups, the histamine contents in faeces were significantly decreased in both the 1.5% and 3.0% groups. This result suggests that Rice Kefiran has an improvement action on the intestinal environment.

■Inhibition of intestinal histamine production by the intake of Rice Kefiran
　 in rats loaded with cholesterol

　　Control group 　　1.5% Rice Kefiran
　　　group 　　3.0% Rice Kefiran
　　　group

Plasma histamine
(μg/L) 　　13.2 ±3.5 　　12.1 ±4.0 　　17.5 ±1.2

Faecal histamine
(g/g) 　　2.42±0.59^a 　　0.62±0.22^b 　　0.82±0.21^b

Faecal excretion of histamine
(μg/rat/day) 　　6.36±1.72^a 　　1.86±0.70^b 　　2.01±0.55^b

Cecal histamine
(μg/g) 　　2.34±0.27^a 　　0.87±0.34^b 　　0.74±0.17^b

Mean ± standard error (n=6). ^a,bValues with different superscriptions are significantly different (p < 0.05).