Laxative effects of prune-fermented drink on loperamide-induced constipation in Sprague-Dawley rats

The prune is known to have excellent physiological activity due to an abundance of dietary fibers and polyphenols. In this study, the effect of prune-fermented drink (PF) made with prune fermentation broth produced using Lactobacillus plantarum KSH-406 on intestinal function was confirmed. The feces and digestive tract of rats with loperamide-induced constipation were analyzed. There was less fecal excretion, fecal weight, and lower fecal water content in loperamide-treated rats than in normal rats. The oral administration of the PF remarkably increased fecal excretion, fecal weight, and water content. In addition, the intake of PF increased the length of the large intestines that had been shortened by loperamide. Alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining were used to assess the damage to the colonic mucosa. The colonic mucosal morphology and crypt structure were markedly improved in PF-treated rats compared with the loperamide-treated group. Also, the PF was found to have high total polyphenol and flavonoid content. Since the PF was manufactured with the addition of other ingredients including enoki mushroom lactobacillus fermented liquid, apple extract, and fructooligosaccharides, there are an increase in its functional ingredients, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, which resulted in improved intestinal function. These results suggest that PF shows potential as a functional food for improving constipation.