Additional in vitro experiments were performed

to determine the antioxidant activity of different concentrations of green dwarf banana flour (1-100 μg/mL). The antioxidant activity was evaluated using an assay of lipid peroxidation in rat brain membranes [24] modified from the original protocol described by Gálvez find more et al [25]. The flavonoid quercetin was used as a reference and tested in the same assay system. Luminal content samples were weighed, homogenized, and serially diluted in sterile 0.85% saline. Serial 10-fold dilutions of the homogenates were plated on Man, Rogosa, and Sharpeagar, a specific media for lactic acid bacteria, and were incubated under microaerobic conditions (5% CO2) at 35°C for 120 hours. After incubation, the final colony count was reported as log10 colony-forming units per gram of fecal material. The results are expressed as means ± SEM values, and differences between the means were tested for statistical significance using a 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc least significance tests. Nonparametric data (scores) are expressed as the median (range) and were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Differences between proportions were analyzed with the χ2 test. Statistical

significance was set at P < .05. Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid administration resulted in colonic inflammation, which was demonstrated after 7 days by severe necrosis of the mucosa, typically extending 2.8 to 4.9 cm along the colon, bowel wall thickening, and hyperemia (Table 2). This inflammatory process LEE011 was associated with an increase in the colonic weight/length

ratio, incidence of the adherence of the colon to adjacent organs (Table 2), and signs of diarrhea MycoClean Mycoplasma Removal Kit in 100% of the colitic. A histologic assessment of colonic samples from the TNBS control group revealed severe transmural disruption of the normal architecture of the colon, extensive ulceration, and inflammation involving all the intestinal layers of the colon, giving a score value of 14.0 (Table 2). Biochemically, the colonic damage was characterized by a reduction in colonic GSH levels and an increase in MPO and AP (Table 3) activities when compared with noncolitic animals. The treatment of noncolitic animals (healthy rats) with the diet enriched with 10% and 20% dwarf banana flour for 21 days showed no effects on the clinical, macroscopic, and microscopic parameters analyzed. The measurements taken from these animals were similar to those taken from the noncolitic group that received only vehicle (Table 2). No statistical differences were observed in food consumption or weight gain between the experimental groups that received the enriched diet and those that received the normal diet.