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Effect of chitosan on the growth of human colonic bacteria

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Abstract

Growth of 6 bacterial strains representing dominant members of the human colonic microflora was measured in the presence of 0.025, 0.05 and 0.5 % chitosan (from shrimp shells, with a 97 % final degree of deacetylation). The effect of chitosan was variable and dependent on bacterial species. The most susceptible to chitosan were bacteria belonging to generaBacteroides andClostridium (91–97% growth inhibition). On the other hand,Roseburia sp.,Eubacterium sp. andFaecalibacterium sp. were more resistant (63–83 % inhibition of growth). Chitosan can thus be considered as one of the means for influencing the bacterial population in the human colon.

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Correspondence to J. Šimůnek.

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This work was supported by theGrant Agency of the Czech Republic (project no. 525/05/2584).

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Šimůnek, J., Tishchenko, G., Hodrová, B. et al. Effect of chitosan on the growth of human colonic bacteria. Folia Microbiol 51, 306–308 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931820

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931820

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