Skip to main content
PMC home page
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1994 Jan;35(1 Suppl):S35–S38. doi: 10.1136/gut.35.1_suppl.s35

Effects of short chain fatty acids on gut morphology and function.

W Scheppach 1
PMCID: PMC1378144  PMID: 8125387

Abstract

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the products of colonic bacterial degradation of unabsorbed starch and non-starch polysaccharide (fibre). They are important anions in the colonic lumen, affecting both colonocyte morphology and function. The three main acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) stimulate colonic sodium and fluid absorption and exert proliferative effects on the colonocyte. Experimental animal studies have shown that they promote adaptive responses to small intestinal resection and colonic anastomosis. Acetate increases colonic blood flow and enhances ileal motility. Butyrate has been shown to be the preferred energy substrate for the colonocyte and to be a potent differentiating agent in cell culture. Butyrate may also have a role in preventing certain types of colitis. A diet low in resistant starch and fibre, which will result in a low production of SCFAs in the colon, may explain the high occurrence of colonic disorders seen in the Western civilization.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Binder H. J., Mehta P. Short-chain fatty acids stimulate active sodium and chloride absorption in vitro in the rat distal colon. Gastroenterology. 1989 Apr;96(4):989–996. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(89)91614-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Breuer R. I., Buto S. K., Christ M. L., Bean J., Vernia P., Paoluzi P., Di Paolo M. C., Caprilli R. Rectal irrigation with short-chain fatty acids for distal ulcerative colitis. Preliminary report. Dig Dis Sci. 1991 Feb;36(2):185–187. doi: 10.1007/BF01300754. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clausen M. R., Bonnén H., Tvede M., Mortensen P. B. Colonic fermentation to short-chain fatty acids is decreased in antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Gastroenterology. 1991 Dec;101(6):1497–1504. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(91)90384-w. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dexter D. L., Lev R., McKendall G. R., Mitchell P., Calabres P. Sodium butyrate-induced alteration of growth properties and glycogen levels in cultured human colon carcinoma cells. Histochem J. 1984 Feb;16(2):137–149. doi: 10.1007/BF01003545. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Firmansyah A., Penn D., Lebenthal E. Isolated colonocyte metabolism of glucose, glutamine, n-butyrate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate in malnutrition. Gastroenterology. 1989 Sep;97(3):622–629. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(89)90633-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Glotzer D. J., Glick M. E., Goldman H. Proctitis and colitis following diversion of the fecal stream. Gastroenterology. 1981 Mar;80(3):438–441. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Goodlad R. A., Ratcliffe B., Fordham J. P., Wright N. A. Does dietary fibre stimulate intestinal epithelial cell proliferation in germ free rats? Gut. 1989 Jun;30(6):820–825. doi: 10.1136/gut.30.6.820. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hennings S. J., Hird F. J. Concentrations and metabolism of volatile fatty acids in the fermentative organs of two species of kangaroo and the guinea-pig. Br J Nutr. 1970 Mar;24(1):145–155. doi: 10.1079/bjn19700017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kamath P. S., Hoepfner M. T., Phillips S. F. Short-chain fatty acids stimulate motility of the canine ileum. Am J Physiol. 1987 Oct;253(4 Pt 1):G427–G433. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1987.253.4.G427. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kamath P. S., Phillips S. F., Zinsmeister A. R. Short-chain fatty acids stimulate ileal motility in humans. Gastroenterology. 1988 Dec;95(6):1496–1502. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(88)80068-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Koruda M. J., Rolandelli R. H., Settle R. G., Saul S. H., Rombeau J. L. Harry M. Vars award. The effect of a pectin-supplemented elemental diet on intestinal adaptation to massive small bowel resection. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1986 Jul-Aug;10(4):343–350. doi: 10.1177/0148607186010004343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Koruda M. J., Rolandelli R. H., Settle R. G., Zimmaro D. M., Rombeau J. L. Effect of parenteral nutrition supplemented with short-chain fatty acids on adaptation to massive small bowel resection. Gastroenterology. 1988 Sep;95(3):715–720. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(88)80019-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kripke S. A., Fox A. D., Berman J. M., Settle R. G., Rombeau J. L. Stimulation of intestinal mucosal growth with intracolonic infusion of short-chain fatty acids. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1989 Mar-Apr;13(2):109–116. doi: 10.1177/0148607189013002109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kvietys P. R., Granger D. N. Effect of volatile fatty acids on blood flow and oxygen uptake by the dog colon. Gastroenterology. 1981 May;80(5 Pt 1):962–969. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lupton J. R., Coder D. M., Jacobs L. R. Long-term effects of fermentable fibers on rat colonic pH and epithelial cell cycle. J Nutr. 1988 Jul;118(7):840–845. doi: 10.1093/jn/118.7.840. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mortensen F. V., Nielsen H., Mulvany M. J., Hessov I. Short chain fatty acids dilate isolated human colonic resistance arteries. Gut. 1990 Dec;31(12):1391–1394. doi: 10.1136/gut.31.12.1391. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Niles R. M., Wilhelm S. A., Thomas P., Zamcheck N. The effect of sodium butyrate and retinoic acid on growth and CEA production in a series of human colorectal tumor cell lines representing different states of differentiation. Cancer Invest. 1988;6(1):39–45. doi: 10.3109/07357908809077027. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Roediger W. E. Role of anaerobic bacteria in the metabolic welfare of the colonic mucosa in man. Gut. 1980 Sep;21(9):793–798. doi: 10.1136/gut.21.9.793. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Roediger W. E. The starved colon--diminished mucosal nutrition, diminished absorption, and colitis. Dis Colon Rectum. 1990 Oct;33(10):858–862. doi: 10.1007/BF02051922. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Rolandelli R. H., Koruda M. J., Settle R. G., Rombeau J. L. Effects of intraluminal infusion of short-chain fatty acids on the healing of colonic anastomosis in the rat. Surgery. 1986 Aug;100(2):198–204. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ruppin H., Bar-Meir S., Soergel K. H., Wood C. M., Schmitt M. G., Jr Absorption of short-chain fatty acids by the colon. Gastroenterology. 1980 Jun;78(6):1500–1507. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ryan G. P., Dudrick S. J., Copeland E. M., Johnson L. R. Effects of various diets on colonic growth in rats. Gastroenterology. 1979 Oct;77(4 Pt 1):658–663. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Scheppach W., Bartram P., Richter A., Richter F., Liepold H., Dusel G., Hofstetter G., Rüthlein J., Kasper H. Effect of short-chain fatty acids on the human colonic mucosa in vitro. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1992 Jan-Feb;16(1):43–48. doi: 10.1177/014860719201600143. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Scheppach W., Burghardt W., Bartram P., Kasper H. Addition of dietary fiber to liquid formula diets: the pros and cons. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1990 Mar-Apr;14(2):204–209. doi: 10.1177/0148607190014002204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Scheppach W., Pomare E. W., Elia M., Cummings J. H. The contribution of the large intestine to blood acetate in man. Clin Sci (Lond) 1991 Feb;80(2):177–182. doi: 10.1042/cs0800177. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Scheppach W., Sachs M., Bartram P., Kasper H. Faecal short-chain fatty acids after colonic surgery. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;43(1):21–25. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Scheppach W., Sommer H., Kirchner T., Paganelli G. M., Bartram P., Christl S., Richter F., Dusel G., Kasper H. Effect of butyrate enemas on the colonic mucosa in distal ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology. 1992 Jul;103(1):51–56. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)91094-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Siddiqui B., Kim Y. S. Effects of sodium butyrate, dimethyl sulfoxide, and retinoic acid on glycolipids of human rectal adenocarcinoma cells. Cancer Res. 1984 Apr;44(4):1648–1652. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Tanaka Y., Bush K. K., Klauck T. M., Higgins P. J. Enhancement of butyrate-induced differentiation of HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Biochem Pharmacol. 1989 Nov 1;38(21):3859–3865. doi: 10.1016/0006-2952(89)90596-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Vernia P., Gnaedinger A., Hauck W., Breuer R. I. Organic anions and the diarrhea of inflammatory bowel disease. Dig Dis Sci. 1988 Nov;33(11):1353–1358. doi: 10.1007/BF01536987. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Windmueller H. G., Spaeth A. E. Identification of ketone bodies and glutamine as the major respiratory fuels in vivo for postabsorptive rat small intestine. J Biol Chem. 1978 Jan 10;253(1):69–76. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Yajima T. Contractile effect of short-chain fatty acids on the isolated colon of the rat. J Physiol. 1985 Nov;368:667–678. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1985.sp015882. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES