Bioactive Yoghurt Containing Curcumin and Chlorogenic Acid Reduces Inflammation in Postmenopausal Women.

Menopause is marked by a gradual and permanent decrease of estrogen from the ovaries, leading to metabolic and physiological changes in the body. Combined with increased body mass index, postmenopausal women have elevated systemic inflammation and metabolic disturbances leading to increased risk of developing chronic diseases. A bioactive coconut yoghurt containing curcumin and chlorogenic acid was developed with the potential to target inflammatory processes. In this randomized crossover study, healthy postmenopausal women with a BMI of 25-40 were recruited to consume 125 g of either the bioactive or placebo yoghurt. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 30 min, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h postprandially. Plasma inflammatory markers (TNFα and IL6) and metabolic markers (triglycerides, insulin and glucose) were measured. Participants had significantly lower plasma TNFα Cmax after consumption of the bioactive yoghurt compared to placebo (mean difference = 0.3 pg/mL; p = 0.04). Additionally, plasma TNFα was significantly lower postprandially compared to baseline after consumption of the bioactive yogurt but not the placebo. No differences were observed in the metabolic markers measured. Conclusions: The bioactive yoghurt fortified with curcumin and chlorogenic acid has the potential to reduce inflammatory mediators; however, a larger and longer-term study is required to confirm these findings.

Chlorogenic Acid Potentiates the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Curcumin in LPS-Stimulated THP-1 Cells.

The anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin are well documented. However, the bioavailability of curcumin is a major barrier to its biological efficacy. Low-dose combination of complimentary bioactives appears to be an attractive strategy for limiting barriers to efficacy of bioactive compounds. In this study, the anti-inflammatory potential of curcumin in combination with chlorogenic acid (CGA), was investigated using human THP-1 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Curcumin alone suppressed TNF-α production in a dose-dependent manner with a decrease in cell viability at higher doses. Although treatment with CGA alone had no effect on TNF-α production, it however enhanced cell viability and co-administration with curcumin at a 1:1 ratio caused a synergistic reduction in TNF-α production with no impact on cell viability. Furthermore, an qRT-PCR analysis of NF-κB pathway components and inflammatory biomarkers indicated that CGA alone was not effective in reducing the mRNA expression of any of the tested inflammatory marker genes, except TLR-4. However, co-administration of CGA with curcumin, potentiated the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin. Curcumin and CGA together reduced the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines [TNF-α (~88%) and IL-6 (~99%)], and COX-2 (~92%), possibly by suppression of NF-κB (~78%), IκB-ß-kinase (~60%) and TLR-4 receptor (~72%) at the mRNA level. Overall, co-administration with CGA improved the inflammation-lowering effects of curcumin in THP-1 cells.

Effectiveness of phages in the decontamination of Listeria monocytogenes adhered to clean stainless steel, stainless steel coated with fish protein, and as a biofilm.

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen which causes listeriosis and is difficult to eradicate from seafood processing environments; therefore, more effective control methods need to be developed. This study investigated the effectiveness of three bacteriophages (LiMN4L, LiMN4p and LiMN17), individually or as a three-phage cocktail at ≈9 log10 PFU/ml, in the lysis of three seafood-borne L. monocytogenes strains (19CO9, 19DO3 and 19EO3) adhered to a fish broth layer on stainless steel coupon (FBSSC) and clean stainless steel coupon (SSC), in 7-day biofilm, and dislodged biofilm cells at 15 ± 1 °C. Single phage treatments (LiMN4L, LiMN4p or LiMN17) decreased bacterial cells adhered to FBSSC and SSC by ≈3-4.5 log units. Phage cocktail reduced the cells on both surfaces (≈3.8-4.5 and 4.6-5.4 log10 CFU/cm², respectively), to less than detectable levels after ≈75 min (detection limit = 0.9 log10 CFU/cm²). The phage cocktail at ≈5.8, 6.5 and 7.5 log10 PFU/cm² eliminated Listeria contamination (≈1.5-1.7 log10 CFU/cm²) on SSC in ≈15 min. One-hour phage treatments (LiMN4p, LiMN4L and cocktail) in three consecutive applications resulted in a decrease of 7-day L. monocytogenes biofilms (≈4 log10 CFU/cm²) by ≈2-3 log units. Single phage treatments reduced dislodged biofilm cells of each L. monocytogenes strain by ≈5 log10 CFU/ml in 1 h. The three phages were effective in controlling L. monocytogenes on stainless steel either clean or soiled with fish proteins which is likely to occur in seafood processing environments. Phages were more effective on biofilm cells dislodged from the surface compared with undisturbed biofilm cells. Therefore, for short-term phage treatments of biofilm it should be considered that some disruption of the biofilm cells from the surface prior to phage application will be required.

Sweetpotato-based complementary food would be less inhibitory on mineral absorption than a maize-based infant food assessed by compositional analysis.

The availability of micronutrients from sweetpotato-based complementary foods (CFs): oven-toasted and roller-dried ComFa, and from a maize-based infant food, enriched Weanimix, was compared using phytate/mineral molar ratios, polyphenols and ß-carotene levels. The phytate/calcium, iron and zinc molar ratios of approximately 0.17, 1 and 15 predict better absorption of calcium, iron and zinc respectively. Generally, the sweetpotato-based CFs had at least half the phytate/mineral ratios of enriched Weanimix. The phytate/iron ratio in both the sweetpotato- and the maize-based CFs was greater than 1. Only the ComFa formulations had phytate/zinc ratio lower than 15. The level of polyphenol (iron inhibitor) was similar for the formulations. Only the sweetpotato-based CFs contained measurable levels of ß-carotene, a possible iron enhancer. The lower phytate/mineral ratios and the ß-carotene level of the sweetpotato-based CFs suggest that calcium, iron and zinc absorption could be better from them than from the maize-based infant food.

Arabinogalactan proteins contribute to the immunostimulatory properties of New Zealand honeys.

CONTEXT: Factors in honey that improve wound healing are poorly understood, but are thought to include lipopolysaccharide (LPS), apalbumin-1 and -2, and a 5.8 kDa component that stimulate cytokine release from macrophages. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the ability of New Zealand honeys to elicit the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) from monocytic cell lines as a model for early events within a wound site. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ability of kanuka (Kunzea ericoides), manuka (Leptospermum scoparium), and clover (Trifolium spp.) honeys to stimulate the release of TNF-α from monocytic cell lines THP-1 and U937 was assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: All three honeys stimulated TNF-α release from THP-1 cells, with kanuka honey being the most active. The activity of kanuka honey was associated with a high molecular weight (>30 kDa) component that was partially heat labile and inhibitable with polymyxin B. LPS concentrations in the honeys were too low to adequately explain the level of immunostimulation. The contribution of type II arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) we recently identified in kanuka honey was tested, as AGPs are known immunostimulators. AGPs purified from kanuka honey stimulated the release of TNF-α from THP-1 and U937 cells. DISCUSSION: Here we demonstrated that AGPs we recently identified in kanuka honey have immunostimulatory activity. We propose that the immunostimulatory properties of individual honeys relate to their particular content of LPS, apalbumins, the 5.8 kDa component and AGPs. CONCLUSION: The immunostimulatory activity of kanuka honey may be particularly dependent on AGPs derived from the nectar of kanuka flowers.