| The beneficial effects of certain luminacoides in post-operative syndrome in total gastrectomy have been reported. We previously showed that pectin can improve iron (Fe) bioavailability in gastrectomized rats. In the study, at the pH of the small intestine (approximately 6.5‒7.0), ionic Fe was not released from pectin in an in vitro study and pectin decreased Fe absorption in vivo in the small intestine in ileorectomized rats. These results indicated that pectin might bind Fe in the small intestine. In contrast, Fe bound to pectin was effectively utilized in rats fed a Fe-deficient diet and Fe absorption in the large intestine was sufficient for recovery from Fe-deficiency anemia in rats. Moreover, the bioavailability of Fe bound to pectin was diminished by cecectomy, whereas that from a complex of ferrous Fe and oligogalacturonic acids prepared by enzymatic degradation of pectin was not. Thus, Fe in pectin may be released by microbial degradation and subsequently made available for absorption in the large intestine. The current review examines the view that absorption of Fe bound to pectin in the large intestine contributes to the improved Fe bioavailability observed in gastrectomized rats fed pectin. |
