RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to use facultative gut bacteria as an alternate to animals for the initial gastrointestinal toxicity screening of heavy metals, a comparative study on rat intestinal epithelial cells and resident gut bacteria was undertaken.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>in vitro growth rate of four gut bacteria, dehydrogenase (DHA) and esterase (EA) activity test, intestinal epithelial and bacterial cell membrane enzymes and in situ effect of arsenite were analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Growth profile of mixed resident population of gut bacteria and pure isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Lactobacillus sp., and Staphylococcus sp. revealed an arsenite (2-20 ppm) concentration-dependent inhibition. The viability pattern of epithelial cells also showed similar changes. DHA and EA tests revealed significant inhibition (40%-72%) with arsenite exposure of 5 and 10 ppm in isolated gut bacteria and epithelial cells. Decrease in membrane alkaline phosphatase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase activities was in the range of 33%-55% in four bacteria at the arsenite exposure of 10 ppm, whereas it was 60%-65% in intestinal epithelial villus cells. in situ incubation of arsenite using intestinal loops also showed more or less similar changes in membrane enzymes of resident gut bacterial population and epithelial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicate that facultative gut bacteria can be used as suitable in vitro model for the preliminary screening of arsenical gastrointestinal cytotoxic effects.</p>