Written by Chrystal Moulton, Staff Writer. Researchers demonstrate that ginger and ajowan significantly decreases food transit time in the gastrointestinal system. This is especially helpful in the prevention of colon cancer.
As part of a continuation of studies on the digestive system, Platel and Srinivasan wanted to determine if spices aided in digestive motility. In other words, they wanted to see if particular spices made the digestive process move more quickly. The researchers tested the effects of 13 different spices. Eight female adult Wistar rats (wt 180 g) were assigned for each spice and each spice group had a corresponding control group.
Table 1. Spices used (% added to basal diet)
| Curcumin (0.5%) | Capsaicin (0.015%) |
| Piperine (0.02%) | Ginger (0.05%) |
| Cumin (1.25%) | Fenugreek (2.0%) |
| Mustard (0.25%) | Asafoetida (0.25%) |
| Ajowan (0.2%) | Fennel (0.5%) |
| Coriander (2.0%) | Garlic (0.5%) |
| Onion (2.0%) | Mint (1.0%) |
*Spices were added to the basal mixture at the given percentages for each spice group.
Basal diet: casein, cane sugar, corn starch, refined peanut oil, NRC-vitamin mixture, “a salt mixture” (2).
Rats were housed in individual cages and made to maintain their assigned diet for 6 weeks. On the last day, food transit time was monitored using ferric oxide as a marker included in their assigned diets. The ferric oxide marker is unabsorbable and would produce a colored stool pellet. Researchers gave the rats the marked diet at 7pm and monitored the appearance of the first colored pellet.
Results from the experiment are detailed in table 2. Ginger was most effective in decreasing food transit time followed by ajowan and cumin.
Table 2. Time to appearance of first stool pellet
| Control 780 ±25 min | Capsaicin 623 ±45 min* |
| Ginger 532 ±38 min* | Mint 642 ±53 min* |
| Ajowan 554 ±56 min* | Onion 647 ±50 min* |
| Cumin 570 ±20 min* | Curcumin 685 ±33 min* |
| Piperine 582 ±39 min* | Fennel 676 ±56 min* |
| Coriander 575 ±58 min* | Mint 642 ±53 min* |
| Asafoetida 589 ±59 min* | Mustard 686 ±68 min |
| Garlic 599 ±57 min* | Fenugreek 726 ±44 min |
* indicates significantly lower than control (p<0.05)
The researchers, in previous studies, had already demonstrated the ability of spices to enhance digestion (3-6). This particular study further supports these previous findings. Based on their observations, the researchers suggested that time of transit decreased in the spice treated rats through the large intestine. In their observations, researchers noticed that control rats and experimental rats were gaining weight comparably suggesting that normal absorption was taking place in the small intestine. They also noted that normal food consumption and defecation persisted in both groups. Therefore, the passage time through the large intestine, which is the longest phase of digestion, was decreased; which in turn, decreased the food transit time as a whole. Researchers suggested these findings may be helpful in prevention of colon cancer since food transit time plays a role in its development. However, studies will be needed to assess the benefits in humans.
Source: Platel, Kalpana, and K. Srinivasan. “Studies on the influence of dietary spices on food transit time in experimental rats.” Nutrition Research 21.9 (2001): 1309-1314.
© 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Posted February 17, 2014.
Chrystal Moulton BA, PMP, is a 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago. She graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology with a focus on premedical studies and is a licensed project manager. She currently resides in Indianapolis, IN.
References:
- Platel K, Srinivasan K. Studies on the influence of dietary spices on food transit time in experimental rats. Nutrition Research, September 2001, 21(9):1309-1314.
- Bernhardt FW, Tomarelli RM. A Salt Mixture Supplying the National Research Council Estimates of the Mineral Requirements of the Rat . J. Nutr. 1966 89: 4 495-500.
- J.N.N. Sharatchandra, K. Platel, K. Srinivasan. Digestive enzymes of rat pancreas and small intestine in response to orally administered mint leaf, and garlic pearl. Indian J Pharmacol, 27 (1995), pp. 156–160.
- K. Platel, K. Srinivasan. Influence of dietary spices or their active principles on digestive enzymes of small intestinal mucosa in rats. Internat J Food Sci Technol, 47 (1996), pp. 55–59.
- Platel K, Srinivasan K. A study of the digestive stimulant action of select spices in experimental rats. J Food. Sci Technol 2001, 38:358-361.
- Srinivasan K. Spices as influencers of body metabolism: an overview of three decades of research. Food Research International, January 2005, 38(1): 77-86.
