Canna Starch Improves Intestinal Barrier Function, Inhibits Allergen Uptake, and Suppresses Anaphylactic Symptoms in Ovalbumin-Induced Food Allergy in Mice

Abstract

Edible canna rhizomes contain extremely high levels of resistant starch among cereals and potatoes. We previously showed that feeding canna rhizome starch to mice may increase intestinal barrier function and improve the intestinal environment. Here, we investigated the effects of canna starch intake in a murine food allergy model. Five-week-old female BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: Control and OVA groups fed on the control diet (AIN-93G) ad libitum and Canna and OVA-Canna groups fed on the canna diet (AIN-93G with 10% replaced with canna starch). The OVA and OVA-Canna groups were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA), and the anaphylactic response was assessed by measuring body temperature. Body temperature was significantly lower in the OVA group than in the non-sensitized group, but no decrease was observed in the OVA-Canna group. Fecal weight, fecal mucin content, and goblet cells of colorectal tissue were significantly increased in the Canna and OVA-Canna groups compared with those in the Control and OVA groups. Allergen uptake into the liver was also increased in the OVA group and decreased in the OVA-Canna group to the same level as in the non-sensitized group. These results indicate that canna starch supplementation in a murine food allergy model suppresses anaphylactic symptoms by improving the intestinal environment and reducing allergen uptake by increasing intestinal barrier function.