Abstract:

To evaluate the laxative effect of Ya’an Tibetan tea and/or xylooligosaccharide, the rat constipation model was
established. From 50 male Wistar rats, 5 rats with the same age and similar body weights were randomly selected as the
normal control group, and the remaining rats were treated with loperamide hydrochloride to establish the rat constipation
model. The rats with constipation were randomly divided into 8 groups, including constipation model group, Ya’an Tibetan
tea infusion group, xylooligosaccharide group, Ya’an Tibetan tea plus xylooligosaccharide high, medium and low-dose
groups, positive control group and Ya’an Tibetan tea powder group. After 7 d administration, feed intake, water intake,
body weight gain, fecal pellet number and water content within 24 hours, gastrointestinal transition rate and living bacteria
in feces were measured in rats from each group. Results showed that fecal pellet number, body weight and water content
were increased, and the number of intestinal enterococci and enterobacteriaceae was reduced, intestinal bifidobacteria and
lactobacillia were increased and intestinal transition length were extended in the mice treated with Ya’an Tibetan tea and/
or xylooligosaccharide as compared to those from the control group. Ya’an Tibetan tea and xylooligosaccharide had a
synergistic laxative effect in a dose-dependent manner, and the best laxative effect, similar or even superior to that of the
positive control senna, was observed at the high dose, while restoring the bowel function of constipation rats to nearly the
normal level. Ya’an Tibetan tea and xylooligosaccharide mixture have defecating function, and may maintain the balance of
the intestinal flora.

Key words: Tibetan tea, xylooligosaccharides, rat, constipation, laxative