The effect of probiotics potentiated with polyunsaturated fatty acids on the digestive tract of germ-free piglets

Abstract

Oil with higher a content of &omega;-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was administered for 4 weeks to experimental germ-free piglets and from 21 days of age the piglets were inoculated perorally with probiotic micro-organisms <i>Lactobacillus casei</i> subsp. <i>casei</i>. Control piglets were administered saline solution in identical doses and starting from the fourth week were also supplemented with probiotics. At the age of 28 days, the number of <i>Lactobacillus casei</i> subsp. <i>casei</i> that had adhered to jejunal mucosa of experimental piglets was significantly higher (<i>P</i> < 0.05) compared to that in the control group. The differences in the number of lactobacilli, which colonised mucosa of the ileum and colon of experimental and control piglets, were insignificant. With the exception of the stomach, the pH level in the digestive tract of piglets was lower in the experimental piglets. Significantly higher levels of propionic (<i>P</i> < 0.05), acetoacetic and succinic (<i>P</i> < 0.01) acids were observed in germ-free experimental piglets in colon. The differences in the level of lactic and acetic acid were insignificant. PUFA-potentiated probiotics positively affected the adhesion of lactobacilli, pH and the level of organic acids in the digestive tract of germ-free piglets. Supplementation of oil containing &omega;-3 PUFA significantly increased the blood level of &alpha;-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in experimental piglets at the expense of arachidonic acid in comparison with the control.