44 



Scientific Proceedings (125) 



17 (1977) 



The effect of change in type of intestinal bacteria on urinary 

 indican and phenols. 



By ARTHUR H. SMITH and W. L. KULP 



[From the Sheffield Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry and 

 the Bacteriological Department, Yale University, New Haven] 



Experiments were carried out on seven individuals to deter- 

 mine the effect on urinary indican and phenols brought about by 

 change from essentially putrefactive to aciduric type of intestinal 

 flora. In the experimental period one quart of a skim milk 

 culture of B. acidophilus containing 100 grams lactose was 

 added to the ordinary diet. Total nitrogen, indican, free and 

 combined phenols were determined in the urine and the bacterial 

 count was made on the feces. 



Two of the subjects failed to react to change of flora under 

 the treatment. Three others showed a tendency toward decrease 

 in urinary indican and combined phenols when B. acidophilus 

 attained a concentration of 90-100 per cent, in the feces. The 

 remaining two showed increased indican and phenol excretion 

 when the milk culture was added to the diet although the con- 

 centration of B. acidophilus in the feces was at least 90 per cent. 



These data suggest that, when B. acidophilus is given in milk 

 culture, in some subjects the increased amount of available 

 tryptophane more than balances the decrease in numbers of 

 indol-producing organisms with the result, that increased ethereal 

 sulfate output may accompany a preponderatingly aciduric in- 

 testinal flora. It is likewise indicated that the favorable clinical 

 results obtained with milk cultures of B. acidophilus in gastro- 

 intestinal cases do not depend primarily on decreased production 

 of indican and ethereal sulfates. 1 



1 Part of the bacteriological examinations was made by Dr. H. A. Cheplin. 



