Changes in intraluminal pressure in rat large intestines with aging and effects of dietary fiber

Changes in intraluminal pressure in rat colon with aging and with the effec ts of dietary fiber were measured. A pressure sensor was inserted into the rat large intestine under endoscopic guidance. The intraluminal pressure cu rve in the colon was recorded, and the motility index was calculated by thi s curve. The rats were divided into three groups with a fiber-free diet, a cellulose diet (10% w/w), or a pectin diet (10% w/w). Intraluminal pressure was measured in the proximal, middle, and distal colon at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 months after birth. Intraluminal pressure in three sites increased with age and decreased in the latter half of the study. The motility index was lower during the course in the fiber g;groups, especially the pectin group more than the nonfiber group. This result suggests that long-term ingestion of dietary fiber might have a prophylactic effect on the development of di verticula.