Abstract:

Objective: The effect of capsaicin on intestinal health in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was
investigated. Methods: Totally 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups including normal non-diabetic
control group (CON) and four diabetic model groups established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). After
successful model establishment, the diabetic rats were administered daily with capsaicin at doses of 0, 3, 6 and 9 mg/(kg·d)
in soybean oil, respectively. All the rats were fed a basal diet, and feed intake was recorded daily. All of them were sacrificed
after 28 days of feeding for the assessment of body weight, appendix area, caecum content, moisture content, pH, free
ammonia, microbe, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) and intestinal tissue morphology. Results: Feeding capsaicin could result
in a significant increase in free ammonia and harmful bacteria, and a reduction in pH, moisture content, SCFA levels and
beneficial bacteria in caecum content (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Capsaicin can cause intestinal injury in diabetic rats.

Key words: capsaicin, diabetic rats, intestinal, microorganism, short-chain fatty acid, intestinal morphology