scholarly journals Bifidobacteria-Host Interactions—An Update on Colonisation Factors

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Grimm ◽  
Christina Westermann ◽  
Christian U. Riedel
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Human Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Substantial Progress ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
Bacterial Groups

Bifidobacteria are one of the predominant bacterial groups of the human intestinal microbiota and have important functional properties making them interesting for the food and dairy industries. Numerousin vitroand preclinical studies have shown beneficial effects of particular bifidobacterial strains or strain combinations on various health parameters of their hosts. This indicates the potential of bifidobacteria in alternative or supplementary therapeutic approaches in a number of diseased states. Based on these observations, bifidobacteria have attracted considerable interest by the food, dairy, and pharmaceutical industries and they are widely used as so-called probiotics. As a consequence of the rapidly increasing number of available bifidobacterial genome sequences and their analysis, there has been substantial progress in the identification of bifidobacterial structures involved in colonisation of and interaction with the host. With the present review, we aim to provide an update on the current knowledge on the mechanisms by which bifidobacteria colonise their hosts and exert health promoting effects.

scholarly journals Curcumin: Could This Compound Be Useful in Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Complications?

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Filardi ◽  
Rosaria Varì ◽  
Elisabetta Ferretti ◽  
Alessandra Zicari ◽  
Susanna Morano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Curcuma Longa ◽  
Growth Disorders ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Toxic Agents ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
The Impact ◽  
In Pregnancy

Curcumin, the main polyphenol contained in turmeric root (Curcuma longa), has played a significant role in medicine for centuries. The growing interest in plant-derived substances has led to increased consumption of them also in pregnancy. The pleiotropic and multi-targeting actions of curcumin have made it very attractive as a health-promoting compound. In spite of the beneficial effects observed in various chronic diseases in humans, limited and fragmentary information is currently available about curcumin’s effects on pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications. It is known that immune-metabolic alterations occurring during pregnancy have consequences on both maternal and fetal tissues, leading to short- and long-term complications. The reported anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitoxicant, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, antiapoptotic, antiangiogenic, anti-hypertensive, and antidiabetic properties of curcumin appear to be encouraging, not only for the management of pregnancy-related disorders, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia (PE), depression, preterm birth, and fetal growth disorders but also to contrast damage induced by natural and chemical toxic agents. The current review summarizes the latest data, mostly obtained from animal models and in vitro studies, on the impact of curcumin on the molecular mechanisms involved in pregnancy pathophysiology, with the aim to shed light on the possible beneficial and/or adverse effects of curcumin on pregnancy outcomes.

Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.): focus on nutraceutical aspects

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amirhossein Nazhand ◽  
Alessandra Durazzo ◽  
Massimo Lucarini ◽  
Amelia M. Silva ◽  
Selma B. Souto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Uncaria Tomentosa ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Microbial Infections ◽  
Health Promoting

: Medicinal plants have been globally exploiting as an alternative to chemical drugs in the treatment of several diseases due to low unwanted side effects, environmentally friendly nature and low production costs, therefore, it is important to analyze the therapeutic properties of various medicinal plants to understand their potential bioactivity. Uncaria tomentosa is one of these medicinal plants with many health-promoting effects. Although the geographical resources of cat's claw go back to the remote tropics of the Amazon, industrialized countries use the plant extensively in trade. Various parts of the plants such as flowers, leaves, Stem, hook, and seed are mainly used medicinally to treat inflammation, asthma, allergies, skin impurities, microbial infections, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cirrhosis, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, heart disease, rheumatism, and fever. The end point of this review article is to prospectively scrutinize in vitro and in vivo the therapeutic potential of this plant, especially in terms of its nutritional applications and health beneficial effects.

scholarly journals Natural Phenolic Compounds for the Control of Oxidation, Bacterial Spoilage, and Foodborne Pathogens in Meat

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aphrodite I. Kalogianni ◽  
Thomai Lazou ◽  
Ioannis Bossis ◽  
Athanasios I. Gelasakis
Keyword(s):  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Antimicrobial Properties ◽  
Meat Industry ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Relevant Regulation

Alternative technologies for long-term preservation, quality assurance, and safety of meat are continuously pursued by the food industry to satisfy the demands of modern consumers for nutritious and healthy meat-based products. Naturally occurring phenolic compounds are considered promising substances by the meat industry for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, while consumers seem to embrace them for their claimed health benefits. Despite the numerous in vitro and in situ studies demonstrating their beneficial effects against meat oxidation, spoilage, and foodborne pathogens, wide application and commercialization has not been yet achieved. Major obstacles are still the scarcity of legislative framework, the large variety of meat-based products and targeted pathogens, the limited number of case-specific application protocols and the questionable universal efficiency of the applied ones. The objectives of the present review are (i) to summarize the current knowledge about the applications of naturally occurring phenols in meat and meat-based products, emphasizing the mechanisms, determinants, and spectrum of their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; (ii) to present state-of-the-art technologies utilized for the application of phenolic compounds in meat systems; and (iii) to discuss relevant regulation, limitations, perspectives, and future challenges for their mass industrial use.

scholarly journals Yogurt Produced by Novel Natural Starter Cultures Improves Gut Epithelial Barrier In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikola Popović ◽  
Emilija Brdarić ◽  
Jelena Đokić ◽  
Miroslav Dinić ◽  
Katarina Veljović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Product ◽  
Starter Culture ◽  
Streptococcus Thermophilus ◽  
Starter Cultures ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Lactobacillus Bulgaricus ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Health Promoting

Yogurt is a traditional fermented dairy product, prepared with starter cultures containing Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus that has gained widespread consumer acceptance as a healthy food. It is widely accepted that yogurt cultures have been recognized as probiotics, due to their beneficial effects on human health. In this study, we have characterized technological and health-promoting properties of autochthonous strains S. thermophilus BGKMJ1-36 and L. bulgaricus BGVLJ1-21 isolated from artisanal sour milk and yogurt, respectively, in order to be used as functional yogurt starter cultures. Both BGKMJ1-36 and BGVLJ1-21 strains have the ability to form curd after five hours at 42 °C, hydrolyze αs1-, β-, and κ- casein, and to show antimicrobial activity toward Listeria monocytogenes. The strain BGKMJ1-36 produces exopolysaccharides important for rheological properties of the yogurt. The colonies of BGKMJ1-36 and BGVLJ1-21 strains that successfully survived transit of the yogurt through simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions have been tested for adhesion to intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. The results reveal that both strains adhere to Caco-2 cells and significantly upregulate the expression of autophagy-, tight junction proteins-, and anti-microbial peptides-related genes. Hence, both strains may be interesting for use as a novel functional starter culture for production of added-value yogurt with health-promoting properties.

scholarly journals Bioactives from Mushroom: Health Attributes and Food Industry Applications

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 7640
Author(s):  
Aarti Bains ◽  
Prince Chawla ◽  
Sawinder Kaur ◽  
Agnieszka Najda ◽  
Melinda Fogarasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trametes Versicolor ◽  
Bioactive Components ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Industry Applications ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Food Applications ◽  
Polysaccharide K ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries

It is well-known that the utilization of mushrooms as therapeutic agents is not new. Over the past years, they have been used by local individuals as food, as well as medicines, throughout the world. Nowadays, mushrooms are excessively used in the medicine, pharmacy, food, and fermentation fields as well. Wild mushrooms are of particular interest, especially Trametes versicolor (commonly known as turkey mushrooms) due to their various uses in the food and pharmaceutical industries. They represent not only a huge storehouse of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but they are also an important source of bioactive polysaccharides. They are widely used in traditional oriental therapies. The fruiting bodies are used in the preparation of health tonics and tea. The present review is necessary to explore more about this mushroom-like classical taxonomy, morphology, nutritional value, bioactivity, various health attributes, mechanism of bioactive components against various diseases, and food applications. The influence of processing processes on the nutritional properties and bioactivity of the fungus is discussed. Potential bioactive components promising health attributes of Trametes versicolor are extensively described. Additionally, several in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of polysaccharopeptides (PSP) and Polysaccharide-K (PSK) on the aspects related to immune function and inflammation, also presenting an anticancerous effect. Moreover, PSP and PSK were successfully described to decrease several life-threatening diseases. The potential food applications of Trametes versicolor were detailed to signify the effective utilization of the mushroom in functional food formulation.

scholarly journals In Vitro Models for Studying Entry, Tissue Tropism, and Therapeutic Approaches of Highly Pathogenic Coronaviruses

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Saeid Najafi Fard ◽  
Linda Petrone ◽  
Elisa Petruccioli ◽  
Tonino Alonzi ◽  
Giulia Matusali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Highly Pathogenic ◽  
S Protein ◽  
Viral Attachment ◽  
The Family

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped nonsegmented positive-sense RNA viruses belonging to the family Coronaviridae that contain the largest genome among RNA viruses. Their genome encodes 4 major structural proteins, and among them, the Spike (S) protein plays a crucial role in determining the viral tropism. It mediates viral attachment to the host cell, fusion to the membranes, and cell entry using cellular proteases as activators. Several in vitro models have been developed to study the CoVs entry, pathogenesis, and possible therapeutic approaches. This article is aimed at summarizing the current knowledge about the use of relevant methodologies and cell lines permissive for CoV life cycle studies. The synthesis of this information can be useful for setting up specific experimental procedures. We also discuss different strategies for inhibiting the binding of the S protein to the cell receptors and the fusion process which may offer opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

scholarly journals Interaction of plant phenols with food macronutrients: characterisation and nutritional–physiological consequences

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Dandan Yu ◽  
Jing Sun ◽  
Xianting Liu ◽  
Lu Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Human Diet ◽  
Plant Phenols ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Maximal Plasma ◽  
Kinetics Of

Polyphenols are dietary constituents of plants associated with health-promoting effects. In the human diet, polyphenols are generally consumed in foods along with macronutrients. Because the health benefits of polyphenols are critically determined by their bioavailability, the effect of interactions between plant phenols and food macronutrients is a very important topic. In the present review, we summarise current knowledge, with a special focus on the in vitro and in vivo effects of food macronutrients on the bioavailability and bioactivity of polyphenols. The mechanisms of interactions between polyphenols and food macronutrients are also discussed. The evidence collected in the present review suggests that when plant phenols are consumed along with food macronutrients, the bioavailability and bioactivity of polyphenols can be significantly affected. The protein–polyphenol complexes can significantly change the plasma kinetics profile but do not affect the absorption of polyphenols. Carbohydrates can enhance the absorption and extend the time needed to reach a maximal plasma concentration of polyphenols, and fats can enhance the absorption and change the absorption kinetics of polyphenols. Moreover, as highlighted in the present review, not only a nutrient alone but also certain synergisms between food macronutrients have a significant effect on the bioavailability and biological activity of polyphenols. The review emphasises the need for formulations that optimise the bioavailability and in vivo activities of polyphenols.

Nano-soldiers Ameliorate Silibinin Delivery: A Review Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Ashrafizadeh ◽  
Zahra Ahmadi ◽  
Reza Mohammadinejad ◽  
Tahereh Farkhondeh ◽  
Saeed Samarghandian
Keyword(s):  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Bioactive Component ◽  
Daily Diet ◽  
Clinical Disorders ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Therapeutic Activities ◽  
Significant Attention

: Flavonoids are a large group of naturally occurring compounds, which are of interest due to their great pharmacological effects and health-promoting impacts. These properties have led to their extensive application in a variety of pathological conditions, particularly cancer. Flavonoids are used in large quantities in a human's daily diet and a high amount of flavonoids are found in the intestine after oral usage. However, flavonoid concentrations in tissue/plasma are low because of their low bioavailability, the leading to the low efficacy of flavonoids in different clinical disorders. For this reason, nanotechnology application for delivering flavonoids to tumor sites has recently received significant attention. Silibinin is a key member of flavonoids and a bioactive component of silymarin, which is widely isolated from Silybum marianum. This plant-derived chemical has a number of valuable biological and therapeutic activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective and anti-diabetic. These beneficial effects have been demonstrated in in vivo and in vitro experiments. However, it seems that silibinin has a variety of limitations and poor bioavailability is the most important factor restricting its wide application. Hence, there have been attempts to improve the bioavailability of silibinin and it has been suggested that nano-soldiers are potential candidates for this aim. In the present review, we describe the different drug delivery systems for improving the bioavailability of silibinin.

scholarly journals An in-vitro investigation on the effect of chilling and reheating different starchy meals on resistant starch content

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman Alzaabi ◽  
Barbara Fielding ◽  
Denise Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Resistant Starch ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
Plasma Lipid ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
In Vitro Investigation ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Future Work

AbstractFood processing has been shown to influence starch digestibility, due to the formation of indigestible starches known as resistant starch (RS). RS has been shown to have similar health promoting properties to those of insoluble dietary fibre. These beneficial effects include lower glycaemic response, improved insulin sensitivity, enhanced overall gut health, and better plasma lipid profile. Additionally, the presence of other nutrients such as proteins or lipids may also impact the amount of RS formed.The present work aimed to measure the effect of cooking and /or additional meal ingredients on the RS content of 5 different starchy meals, 3 made with pasta (one of which had cheese added) and 2 made with potato, using the Megazyme RS kit (K-RSTAR). The cooked meals were tested either freshly cooked, chilled overnight, or chilled overnight and reheated. Moreover, different amounts of fat were used in the test meals (10 g fat per 100 g pasta, 30 g fat per 100 g pasta, 5 g fat per 100 g potato and 10 g fat per 100 g potato) in order to examine the effect of the amount of fat on RS formation. The total number of meals tested was 15.The amount of RS in the 2 pasta meals without cheese were 40% and 44% higher in the chilled and reheated meals compared to the same meals freshly cooked for the 10 g and 30 g of fat meals, respectively. The chilled overnight meals were not different from the freshly cooked meals for both fat amounts. Moreover, the potato meals showed a more substantial difference between the meals for the two fat amounts. The chilled and reheated potato meals were 73% and 85% higher in RS content than the freshly cooked identical meal, in the 5 g and 10 g of fat, respectively. Additionally, the chilled potato meals had higher RS contents compared to freshly cooked potato meals (68% and 83%, respectively). Furthermore, the presence of protein reduced the total amount of digested starch and RS in all pasta meals when compared to the meals without cheese. The findings of this in-vitro investigation suggests that chilling and reheating starchy meals significantly increases their content of RS. Future work will determine if these in vitro findings will translate to health benefits in vivo.

scholarly journals Exploring the Ecology of Bifidobacteria and Their Genetic Adaptation to the Mammalian Gut

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Sabrina Duranti ◽  
Giulia Longhi ◽  
Marco Ventura ◽  
Douwe van Sinderen ◽  
Francesca Turroni
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Gut Bacteria ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Genetic Adaptation ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Health Promoting

The mammalian gut is densely inhabited by microorganisms that have coevolved with their host. Amongst these latter microorganisms, bifidobacteria represent a key model to study host–microbe interaction within the mammalian gut. Remarkably, bifidobacteria naturally occur in a range of ecological niches that are either directly or indirectly connected to the animal gastrointestinal tract. They constitute one of the dominant bacterial members of the intestinal microbiota and are among the first colonizers of the mammalian gut. Notably, the presence of bifidobacteria in the gut has been associated with several health-promoting activities. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of current knowledge on the genetic diversity and ecology of bifidobacteria. Furthermore, we will discuss how this important group of gut bacteria is able to colonize and survive in the mammalian gut, so as to facilitate host interactions.

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