Silicon-containing water intake confers antioxidant effect, gastrointestinal protection, and gut microbiota modulation in the rodents

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 31;16(3):e0248508. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248508. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

We explored the effects of silicon-containing water (BT) intake on gastrointestinal function and gut microbiota. BT was obtained by pressuring tap water through silicon minerals (mullite, Al6Si2O13) column. BT decreased H2O2 chemiluminescence counts, indicating its antioxidant activity. Four weeks of BT drinking increased H2O2 scavenging activity and glutathione peroxidase activity of plasma. BT drinking did not affect the body weight but significantly reduced the weight of feces and gastrointestinal motility. BT drinking significantly suppressed pylorus ligation enhanced gastric juice secretion, gastric reactive oxygen species amount, erythrocyte extravasation, IL-1β production by infiltrating leukocyte, and lipid peroxidation within gastric mucosa. Data from 16S rRNA sequencing revealed BT drinking significantly increased beneficial flora including Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Prevotellaceae NK3B31, Weissella paramesenteroides, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Lactobacillus murinus and decreased harmful flora including Mucispirillum, Rodentibacter, and Staphylococcus aureus. This study pioneerly provided scientific evidences for the potential effects of water-soluble forms of silicon intake on antioxidant activity, gastrointestinal function, and gut microbiota modulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Silicates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange / methods
  • Drinking*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Gastrointestinal Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / genetics
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / genetics
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / genetics
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / blood
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Silicon Dioxide / administration & dosage*
  • Water / administration & dosage*
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Antioxidants
  • Gastrointestinal Agents
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Water
  • aluminosilicate
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Hydrogen Peroxide

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grant from Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan (MOST-107-2218-E-003-001) and Bestec Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in Taiwan. Ministry of Science and Technology provided financial support in the form of salaries for CTC and WYW and research material. Bestec Biotechnology Co., Ltd. provided financial support in research material. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.