Wang Ni, Wu Peng, Chen Xiao Dong
Life Quality Engineering Interest Group, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
Foods. 2025 Apr 12;14(8):1335. doi: 10.3390/foods14081335.
Constipation is a common problem which often causes negative impacts on the patient's quality of life. Apart from the pharmacologic and diet approaches, the use of probiotics has gradually shown promising efficacy to alleviate constipation. However, an exact understanding of the underlying mechanisms of probiotic actions on alleviating constipation is still unclear and need to be explored. In this review, we propose a model, 'probiotics in human colon', from a bioprocess engineering perspective. This model can be interpreted as a new concept of bionic colonic bioreactor design of a human colon in vitro, in which the transport phenomena during the fermentation of chyme by probiotics can be detected. By reviewing the anatomy structure and peristalsis mode of the human colon, we have focused on the influence by probiotics on the physical properties of colonic contents during the fermentation process. We relate physical properties such as shape, water content, density, hardness, viscosity, and elasticity to constipation symptoms directly. The influences on the physical properties of colon contents triggered by probiotics can be a potential key to understand the mechanisms for alleviating constipation.
便秘是一个常见问题，常常对患者的生活质量产生负面影响。除了药物和饮食方法外，使用益生菌已逐渐显示出缓解便秘的良好疗效。然而，对于益生菌缓解便秘的潜在机制的确切理解仍不明确，有待探索。在本综述中，我们从生物过程工程的角度提出了一个“人体结肠中的益生菌”模型。该模型可被解释为体外人体结肠仿生结肠生物反应器设计的新概念，其中可以检测益生菌对食糜发酵过程中的传输现象。通过回顾人体结肠的解剖结构和蠕动模式，我们关注了益生菌在发酵过程中对结肠内容物物理性质的影响。我们将形状、含水量、密度、硬度、粘度和弹性等物理性质直接与便秘症状相关联。益生菌对结肠内容物物理性质的影响可能是理解缓解便秘机制的潜在关键。
