  In this work we propose a novel algorithmic strategy that allows for an
efficient characterization of the whole set of stable fluxes compatible with
the metabolic constraints. The algorithm, based on the well-known Bethe
approximation, allows the computation in polynomial time of the volume of a non
full-dimensional convex polytope in high dimensions. The result of our
algorithm match closely the prediction of Monte Carlo based estimations of the
flux distributions of the Red Blood Cell metabolic network but in incomparably
shorter time. We also analyze the statistical properties of the average fluxes
of the reactions in the E-Coli metabolic network and finally to test the effect
of gene knock-outs on the size of the solution space of the E-Coli central
metabolism.
