Protective effects of xyloglucan in association with the polysaccharide gelose in an experimental model of gastroenteritis and urinary tract infections

Acute infectious gastroenteritis (GE) and urinary tract infection (UTI) are common diseases and are normally perceived as mild and limiting illnesses. Xyloglucan is a natural plant polymer with protective barrier properties, also known as "mucosal protectors", which is the main ingredient of medical devices developed for the management of different diseases, such as gastrointestinal diseases, urinary tract infections, or respiratory allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of xyloglucan in association with gelose (also called agar) in an experimental model of bacterial GE and UTI in rats. Two kinds of infection were induced by oral administration of Salmonella enterica and Enterococcus hirae for three days. Two days before the bacterial administration, preventive oral treatment with xyloglucan + gelose (10 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg) was performed daily until the seventh day. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, rats were sacrificed and urinary tracts and intestines for different analysis were collected. The results showed that xyloglucan plus gelose was able to reduce intestinal morphological changes (p < 0.05 for both), tight junctions (TJ) permeability (p < 0.001 for both), and neutrophil infiltration (p < 0.05 for both) induced by bacterial infections, highlighting its barrier proprieties. Moreover, the compound reduced the number of bacterial colonies in the urinary tract favoring elimination by feces. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the protective barrier properties of xyloglucan plus gelose allow the prevention of GE and UTI in models of infections in rats.