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ABSTRACT. The polyamine concentration in rat milk and food, human milk, and infant formulas was estimated by HPLC. In rat milk, the concentration of putrescine and spermine was low (generally under 2.5 nmol . mL-' for putrescine and under 1 nmol.mL-' for spermine). The spermidine concentration was higher and seemed to increase during lactation. The rat food was richer in polyamines than the rat milk (about 150 times for putrescine and spermine, about 30 times for spermidine). We already proved that ingestion of spermine or spermidine can induce precocious maturation of the rat intestine. The present observations suggest that polyamines contained in rat food could play an important role in postnatal maturation of the rat intestine. The polyamine concentration of human milk was measured from 60 different mothers during a period extending from the 1st wk to the 6th mo of lactation. Great variation was observed. During the 1st mo of lactation, the general pattern was as follows: putrescine concentration generally varied little (from 1 to 3 nmol.mL-I), spermine and spermidine concentrations showed a similar pattern (the highest values appeared at the end of the 1st wk of suckling). After the 4th mo of lactation, putrescine concentration increased slightly, whereas spermine and spermidine concentration stayed almost stable. The concentrations of polyamines in 18 powdered milks for babies were estimated. Spermine and spermidine contents were lower than those in human milk. A protective effect of spermine or spermidine against alimentary allergies is suggested. (Pediatr Res 32: [58][59][60][61][62][63]1992) In the rat, maturation of the gastrointestinal tract occurs during the 3rd postnatal wk (for example, see 1-4). Before maturation, the lactase sp act of the small bowel mucosa is high, whereas sucrase and maltase are very low. This immature mucosa is characterized histologically by the presence of enterocytes containing a large supranuclear vacuole and an apical canalicular system probably involved in nonspecific protein transfer through the gut wall. At the moment of maturation (1 8th-20th postnatal d, i.e. the time of weaning) mucosal sp act of maltase and sucrase increase dramatically, whereas lactase sp act decreases to very low values. At the same time, enterocytes lose their apical canalicular system as well as their supranuclear vacuole and nonspe-

This study investigates whether laminarin (β1-3,β1-6-glucan), a polysaccharide from seaweed, exhibits beneficial properties for human health by analysing its effects on intestinal parameters. Anaerobic batch culture fermenters were used for the screening of the in vitro utilization of laminarin by the human gut microflora through the monitoring of biochemical and microbiological parameters. Additionally, the influence of laminarin ingestion on the composition of intestinal mucus (neutral mucins, sialomucins and sulphomucins) was studied in rats. Laminarin was almost totally (more than 90% used) fermented after 24 h of incubation with human intestinal bacteria. It was not selectively used by bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, but increased the production of propionate and butyrate. Variations of mucus composition were observed in jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon, both in lumen content and in intestinal wall, of rats after ingestion of this polysaccharide. Due to its effects on mucus composition, laminarin could influence the adherence and the translocation of bacteria across the epithelial wall. In conclusion, laminarin seems to be a modulator of the intestinal metabolism by its effects on mucus composition, intestinal pH and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, especially butyrate.

Dietary fibres consist of edible plant polysaccharides that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine but undergo complete or partial fermentation in the colon. Seaweeds, notably Laminaria spp, are particularly rich in polysaccharides resistant to hydrolysis in the upper gastrointestinal tract and are, in consequence, considered as dietary fibres. Most of the carbohydrates from Laminaria spp are thought to be indigestible by humans. The main storage polysaccharide of these algae is laminarin, a β-polymer of glucose. The aims of this work were, on the one hand, to compare various methods of extraction of laminarin by partial characterisation of the product obtained and, on the other hand, to study the fate of this polysaccharide and its effects in the gastrointestinal tract in order to determine its potential as a dietary fibre in human nutrition. Among four methods tested to extract laminarin, the best appeared to be a hot HCl-based method. Human digestive enzymes did not hydrolyse laminarin, so this polysaccharide can be considered as a dietary fibre. After ingestion by rats, this polysaccharide was not found in faeces of these animals. It did not increase the intestinal transit and stool output in vivo, but it increased the contractile response of the stomach to acetylcholine in vitro.