Chromatographic profile, in silico and in vivo study of the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of major constituent present in kefir, the kefiran.

Kefiran is a polysaccharide present in kefir grains that have been widely explored due to its potential health benefits. The objective of this work was to characterize and quantify the components present in the ethanolic extract of milk kefir grains; to study its pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties in silico and evaluate the acute toxicity of the kefiran in zebrafish. The prediction of pharmacokinetic properties was performed by QikProp software. In silico toxicity assessment was performed using the DEREK (deductive estimate of risk from existing knowledge) software. In the chromatographic, kefiran was identified as the major component. Results showed that the kefiran had low human oral absorption and intestinal absorption its due poor solubility profile; low logP value, indicating its lipophilicity and the low MDCK and Caco-2 cells permability, and unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Kefiran did not present any structural warning for in silico toxicity. In zebrafish, the dose of 2,000 mg/kg of kefiran produced nonsignificant alterations in the analyzed organs. It can be said then that kefiran has an acceptable degree of safety for use in the development of drugs or functional foods. Further research such as in vivo testing to confirm its pharmacological potential is currently underway.

Potential beneficial effects of kefir and its postbiotic, kefiran, on child food allergy.

Food allergies are known as the public health problem, affecting people of all age groups, but more commonly in babies and children, with consequences for nutritional status and quality of life. The increase in the consumption of healthy foods has consequently led to an increased demand for functional foods with specific health benefits. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry's interest in natural products has grown every time and is therefore considered as an alternative to synthetic drugs. Kefir has been outstanding for several years as promising in the manufacture of various pharmaceutical products, due to its nutritional and therapeutic properties for the treatment of many diseases. Currently, a wide variety of new functional foods are appearing on the market, representing an important segment. Postbiotics, for example, has stood out for being a product with action similar to probiotics, without offering side effects. The kefiran is the postbiotic from kefir that promotes potential beneficial effects on food allergy from the intestinal microbiome to the immune system. In this context, it is necessary to know the main promoting component of this functional effect. This review compiles the benefits that kefir, and especially its postbiotic, kefiran, can bring to food allergy. In addition, it serve as a subsidy for studies on the development of innovative nutraceutical products, including the use of kefiran as an alternative therapy in food allergy.

Relationship between selenium status and biomarkers of oxidative stress in Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Crohn disease (CD) is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation and various factors involved in its pathogenesis including oxidative stress. The oxidative stress in CD may compromise antioxidant nutrients, such as selenium. The aim of this study was to assess the status of selenium and its relationship with markers of oxidative stress in patients with CD in comparison to controls. METHODS: The study included 47 patients with CD (20 with active disease and 27 in remission) and 25 healthy individuals. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of plasma and erythrocyte selenium concentrations using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Selenoprotein P (SepP) was evaluated by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) activity was assessed by using an automatic biochemistry analyzer, and the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was measured. Comparative analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test. For correlations, Pearson's coefficient test was used. The determinants for CD and lipid peroxidation were indicated by odds ratio. RESULTS: Plasma and erythrocyte selenium levels and SepP concentrations were lower in the CD patient groups than in the healthy group. GPx1 activity and the concentration of TBARS were significantly higher in the CD groups. In the univariate analysis, plasma and erythrocyte selenium and TBARS were associated with CD. CONCLUSION: Patients with CD have impaired selenium status, which is related to the increased oxidative stress observed in these patients.

Zinc gluconate supplementation impacts the clinical improvement in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects the mucous membrane of the colon. The pathogenesis is not clear, but there is evidence of a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. In this regard, we highlight the role of zinc in the immune system and probable control of the disease. This study evaluated the effect of zinc supplementation on the inflammatory response in patients with ulcerative colitis. A blind interventional study involving 41 patients of both sexes, who underwent either zinc gluconate supplementation (n = 23), or treatment with a placebo (corn starch) (n = 18). Patients were evaluated for dietary zinc intake, plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations, and serum levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 type cytokines at baseline (T0) and 30 (T1) and 60 (T2) days after intervention. Patients in the zinc supplementation group had a lower probability of having an adequate zinc intake than placebo. In this same group, there was a significant difference between plasma zinc concentrations (T1 in relation to T0, T2 in relation to T1, and T2 in relation to T0) and erythrocyte zinc (T1 in relation to T0 and T2 in relation to T1). Zinc supplementation resulted in significant changes in the concentrations of IL-2 and IL-10 without differences in the other interleukins. Zinc gluconate intervention in patients with ulcerative colitis improves the nutritional status of this mineral in these patients and positively influences their clinical outcome, reinforcing the role of zinc as an important dietary component in disease control.

Adequações e inadequações nos perfis antropométrico e dietético de crianças pré-escolares / Adequacies and inadequacies in the anthropometric and dietetic profiles of preschool children

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional conditions and food patterns in preschool children are elements that emphasise the importance of health monitoring in this period of nutritional transition, both to ensure nutritional adequacy and how much to intervene in identified inadequacies. Hence, it may also constitute a strategy for public programs and school health services to make decisions. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the anthropometric and dietary profiles of pre-schoolers of a pole city in Northeastern Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional evaluative study with 114 children aged 2-5 years, of both genders, in three municipal centres of early childhood education. Anthropometry was used to measure weight and height, and the nutritional condition was assessed using the indexes Height for Age (H/A), Weight for Age (W/A), Weight for Height (W/H) and Body Mass Index for Age (BMI/A) in z-score values with classifications established by the World Health Organization. The food intake record was done by direct weighing of the food menu offered during a week in the three institutions. This procedure allowed for the evaluation of the nutritional composition of menus, from the estimates in percentages, average and standard deviations of total calories, macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) and micronutrients (calcium, iron, vitamins A and C), to the adjustments and comparisons to the reference values of the Recommended Dietary Allowances, National Research Council and the PNAE recommendations, by age stages, in full-time units, 1-3 years, 700 kcal; 4-5 years, 950 kcal (70% coverage prediction of daily nutritional requirements) and the part-time units, these same ranges of age, respectively, 200 and 270 kcal (20% coverage for forecasting nutritional needs daily), considering adequate consumption to that with a variation of up to 10% above or below 100% of these recommendations. RESULTS: Most of the preschool children had adequate nutritional conditions, especially those of full-time units, with relative frequencies (W/A: 94.5%; W/H: 89.5%, BMI/A: 81.7%). There were registered also overweight percentages higher than the deficits, in the indices W/A (22.2%), P/E (33.3%) to municipal early childhood centre CMEI-A girls; the indices W/A, W/H, BMI/A (23.8% each) in CMEI B-boys. In relation to the adequacy of the food profile, there was only convergence between the offer and the recommendation of 70% coverage of the daily energy needs, for pre-schoolers of 4-5 years from the centre of full-time units (mean: 951.2 ± 172.3 kcal). As for nutrients, inadequacies had a trend in the coverage of the daily needs on the menu offered in part-time units. CONCLUSION: Although most children do not present indicative of nutritional risk, requires attention to food portion that was with inadequacies of nutritional condition, with emphasis on weight surplus, while the readjustments in per capita and in portions of the menu implemented in those locations.

INTRODUÇÃO: O estado nutricional e o padrão alimentar de crianças na fase pré-escolar são elementos que ressaltam a importância da vigilância à saúde, nesse cenário de transição nutricional, tanto para garantir as adequações, quanto para intervir nas inadequações identificadas, podendo, inclusive, se constituir em estratégia para a tomada de decisões dos agentes públicos escola e serviço de saúde. OBJETIVO: Analisar os perfis antropométrico e dietético de pré-escolares em cidade polo do Nordeste brasileiro. MÉTODO: Trata-se de estudo avaliativo transversal, com 114 crianças entre 2 a 5 anos, de ambos os sexos, em três centros municipais de educação infantil. Foi utilizada a antropometria para aferir peso e estatura, sendo o estado nutricional avaliado pelos índices Estatura para a Idade (E/I), Peso para a Idade (P/I), Peso para a Estatura (P/E), Índice de Massa Corporal para a Idade (IMC/I) em valores escore-z, com classificação referida pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. E registro alimentar com a pesagem direta dos alimentos do cardápio oferecido durante uma semana nas três instituições. Este procedimento permitiu avaliar a composição nutricional dos cardápios a partir da estimativa em valores percentuais, médios e desvios-padrão de calorias totais, macronutrientes (proteínas, carboidratos e lipídios), micronutrientes (Cálcio, Ferro, vitaminas A e C), para fazer as adequações e comparações aos valores de referências da Recommended Dietary Allowances, National Research Council e as recomendações do PNAE, segundo estágios etários, nas unidades de tempo integral, de 1-3 anos, 700 kcal; de 4-5 anos, 950 kcal (previsão de cobertura de 70% das necessidades nutricionais diárias); e nas unidades de meio turno, nesses mesmos intervalos de idade, respectivamente, 200 e 270 kcal (previsão de cobertura de 20% das necessidades nutricionais diárias), considerando como consumo adequado aquele com variação de até 10% acima ou abaixo de 100% dessas recomendações. RESULTADOS: Os pré-escolares, em maioria, com estado nutricional adequado, destacando-se aqueles da unidade de turno integral, com frequências relativas (P/I: 94,5%; P/E: 89,5%; IMC/I: 81,7%). Registraram-se, ainda, porcentagens de excesso de peso maiores que os déficits, nos índices P/I (22,2%), P/E (33,3%), para meninas do CMEI-A; nos índices P/I, P/E, IMC/I (23,8% cada), em meninos do CMEI-B. Quanto à adequação do perfil alimentar, somente houve convergência entre a oferta e a recomendação de 70% de cobertura das necessidades energéticas diárias, para os pré-escolares de 4-5 anos do centro de turno integral (média: 951,2±172,3kcal). Quanto aos nutrientes, houve tendência de inadequações na cobertura das necessidades diárias no cardápio ofertado em unidades de meio turno. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar de a maioria das crianças não apresentar indicativo de risco nutricional, requer atenção a parcela que se encontrava com inadequações do estado nutricional, com ênfase aos excedentes ponderais, simultaneamente às readequações nos per capitas e nas porções do cardápio implementado nesses locais.