Nutraceuticals in the management of autonomic function and related disorders: A comprehensive review.

Nutraceuticals have been described as phytocomplexes when derived from foods of plant origin or a pool of secondary metabolites when derived from foods of animal origin, which are concentrated and administered in an appropriate form and can promote beneficial health effects in the prevention/treatment of diseases. Considering that pharmaceutical medications can cause side effects, there is a growing interest in using nutraceuticals as an adjuvant therapeutic tool for several disorders involving autonomic dysfunction, such as obesity, atherosclerosis and other cardiometabolic diseases. This review summarizes and discusses the evidence from the literature on the effects of various nutraceuticals on autonomic control, addressing the gut microbiota modulation, production of secondary metabolites from bioactive compounds, and improvement of physical and chemical properties of cell membranes. Additionally, the safety of nutraceuticals and prospects are discussed. Probiotics, resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, nitrate, inositol, L-carnosine, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are among the nutraceuticals most studied to improve autonomic dysfunction in experimental animal models and clinical trials. Further human studies are needed to elucidate the effects of nutraceuticals formulated of multitarget compounds and their underlying mechanisms of action, which could benefit conditions involving autonomic dysfunction.

Shedding light on the impacts of Spirulina platensis on gut microbiota and related health benefits.

Spirulina (S.) platensis is a blue-green algae with reported nutritional and health-promoting properties, such as immunomodulating, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering properties, and beneficial effects on inflammatory diseases. Spirulina platensis can improve the function and composition of the gut microbiota and exert systemic beneficial effects. Gut dysbiosis is characterized by an imbalance in the composition and function of gut microbiota and is associated with several diseases. Some dietary bioactive compounds can restore the composition, diversity, and function of the gut microbiota and improve health-related parameters. This review proposes to gather relevant information on the effects of S. platensis supplementation on the modulation of the function and composition of gut microbiota and local and systemic measures related to gut health, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and glucose and lipid metabolism. The body of evidence conducted with animals and clinical studies shows that S. platensis supplementation increased gut microbiota diversity and improved gut microbiota composition, as reported by a decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio, increase in the relative abundance of Prevotella and Lactobacillaceae, increase in short-chain fatty acid production and decrease of gut permeability. Improvements in gut microbiota have been associated with host health benefits such as anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-lipemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.

Exploiting tropical fruit processing coproducts as circular resources to promote the growth and maintain the culturability and functionality of probiotic lactobacilli.

This study evaluated the use of acerola (Malpighia glabra L., CACE), cashew (Anacardium occidentale L., CCAS), and guava (Psidium guayaba L., CGUA) fruit processing coproducts as substrates to promote the growth, metabolite production, and maintenance of the viability/metabolic activity of the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei L-10 during cultivation, freeze-drying, storage, and exposure to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Probiotic lactobacilli presented high viable counts (≥8.8 log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL) and a short lag phase during 24 h of cultivation in CACE, CCAS, and CGUA. Cultivation of probiotic lactobacilli in fruit coproducts promoted sugar consumption, medium acidification, and production of organic acids over time, besides increasing the of several phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Probiotic lactobacilli cultivated in fruit coproducts had increased survival percentages after freeze-drying and during 120 days of refrigerated storage. Moreover, probiotic lactobacilli cultivated and freeze-dried in fruit coproducts had larger subpopulations of live and metabolically active cells when exposed to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results showed that fruit coproducts not only improved the growth and helped to maintain the viability and metabolic activity of probiotic strains but also enriched the final fermented products with bioactive compounds, being an innovative circular strategy for producing high-quality probiotic cultures.

Interventions based on alternative and sustainable strategies for postharvest control of anthracnose and maintain quality in tropical fruits.

Colletotrichum spp. is a phytopathogen causing anthracnose in a variety of tropical fruits. Strategies used to control postharvest diseases in tropical fruits typically rely on the use of synthetic fungicides, which have stimulated the emergence of resistant pathogens. Safer alternative strategies to control anthracnose in tropical fruits have been described in the literature. This review presents and discusses the main innovative interventions concerning the application of sustainable alternative strategies in the postharvest control of pathogenic Colletotrichum species in tropical fruits, with a particular emphasis on the studies published in the last 5 years. The available studies have shown the use of various methods, including physical barriers, natural antimicrobials, and biological control with antagonistic microorganisms, to reduce anthracnose lesion severity and incidence in tropical fruits. The available literature showed high inhibitory activity in vitro, reduced anthracnose incidence and lesion diameter, and total disease inhibition in tropical fruits. Most studies focused on the inhibition of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on avocado, papaya, and mango, as well as of Colletotrichum musae on banana; however, the inhibition of other Colletotrichum species was also demonstrated. The application of emerging sustainable alternative methods, including natural antimicrobial substances, also stimulated the induction of defense systems in tropical fruits, including enzymatic activity, such as polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. The retrieved data helped to understand the current state of the research field and reveal new perspectives on developing efficient and sustainable intervention strategies to control pathogenic Colletotrichum species and anthracnose development in tropical fruits.

Exploring the antimicrobial effects of a phenolic-rich extract from jabuticaba depulping waste against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

This study evaluated the effects of a phenolic-rich extract from jabuticaba [Myrciaria jaboticaba (Vell.) Berg] depulping waste (PEJ) on the survival, antibiotic susceptibility, virulence, and cellular functions of various enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration of PEJ against the five tested ETEC strains was 125 mg mL-1. PEJ at 125 and 250 mg mL-1 caused reductions in viable cell counts of ≥ 3 and ≥ 5 log CFU mL-1 in ETEC over 24 h, respectively. PEJ at subinhibitory concentrations (31.25 and 62.5 mg mL-1) reduced the viable cell counts of ETEC when exposed to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions, besides decreasing the biofilm formation, cell surface hydrophobicity, mucin adhesion, and swimming and swarming motility. PEJ (31.25 and 62.5 mg mL-1) increased the susceptibility of the tested ETEC strains to various clinically relevant antibiotics. The exposure to PEJ (62.5 and 125 mg mL-1) impaired the membrane permeability and enzymatic and efflux pump activities in ETEC cells. PEJ effectively reduces survival, increases antibiotic susceptibility, and attenuates virulence in ETEC. These effects could be linked to a PEJ multi-target action disturbing various cellular functions in ETEC cells. PEJ could be a candidate for developing innovative solutions to prevent and treat ETEC infections.

An outlook on fluorescent in situ hybridization coupled to flow cytometry as a versatile technique to evaluate the effects of foods and dietary interventions on gut microbiota.

The increasing interest in the effects of the gut microbiota on host health has stimulated the investigation of the composition of this microbial community and the factors affecting these microorganisms. This review discusses the recent advances and progress applications in the use of the fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) coupled to flow cytometry (FC) technique (FISH-FC) in studies evaluating the gut microbiota published in the last 10 years, with particular emphasis on the effects of foods and dietary interventions. These studies have shown that FISH-FC technique is capable of detecting and quantifying several groups of bacteria found as part of the gut microbiota. FISH-FC can be considered an effective, versatile, and rapid technique to evaluate alterations in gut microbiota composition caused by different foods as assessed in studies in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical trials. Some specific probes have been most used to represent the general gut microbiota, such as those specific to Lactobacillus spp./Enterococcus spp., Bacteroidaceae/Prevotellaceae, Clostridium histolyticum, and Bifidobacterium spp. FISH-FC technique could have an important opportunity for application in studies with next-generation probiotics belonging to the gut microbiota. Optimizations of FISH-FC protocols could allow more discoveries about the gut microbiota, including the development of new probes targeting microorganisms still not explored, the analysis of individual portions of the intestine, and the proposition of novel quantitative approaches.

Antifungal effects of Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist essential oil against pathogenic Colletotrichum musae and its incorporation in gum Arabic coating to reduce anthracnose development in banana during storage.

AIM: This study evaluated the inhibitory effects on mycelial growth and damage on membrane integrity and enzymatic activity caused by Conyza bonariensis essential oil (CBEO) on distinct pathogenic Colletotrichum musae isolates, as well as the preventive and curative effects of coatings with gum Arabic (GA) and CBEO to reduce anthracnose development in banana during room temperature storage. The effects of GA-CBEO coatings on some physicochemical parameters of banana were investigated during room temperature storage. METHOD AND RESULTS: CBEO (0.4-1 µl ml-1 ) inhibited the mycelial growth of C. musae isolates in laboratory media. The exposure of C. musae conidia to CBEO (0.6 µl ml-1 ) for 3 and 5 days resulted in high percentages of conidia with damaged cytoplasmic membrane and without enzymatic activity. Coatings with GA (0.1 mg ml-1 ) and CBEO (0.4-1 µl ml-1 ) reduced the anthracnose development in banana artificially contaminated with C. musae during storage. In most cases, the disease severity indexes found for GA-CBEO-coated banana were lower than or similar to those for banana treated with commercial fungicide. GA-CBEO-coated banana had reduced alterations in physicochemical parameters during storage, indicating more prolonged storability. CONCLUSION: The application of GA-CBEO coatings is effective to delay the anthracnose development in banana during storage, which should help to reduce the amount of fungicides used to control postharvest diseases in this fruit. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study showing the efficacy of coatings formulated with GA and CBEO to delay the development of anthracnose in banana, as well as to decrease alterations in physicochemical parameters indicative of postharvest quality of this fruit during storage. In a practical point of view, GA-CBEO coatings could be innovative strategies to delay the anthracnose development and postharvest losses in banana.

Dynamics of physiological responses of potentially probiotic fruit-derived Limosilactobacillus fermentum in apple and orange juices during refrigeration storage and exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

This study evaluated the dynamics of the physiological responses of potentially probiotic fruit-derived Limosilactobacillus fermentum 139 and L. fermentum 263 in apple and orange juice during 28 days of refrigeration storage (4 °C) and when submitted to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Physiological responses were measured with multiparametric flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI), carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA) and bis-1,3-dibutylbarbutiric acid (BOX). Viable counts were enumerated with plate count. L. fermentum strains had sizes of > 30% of cell subpopulations with non-permeabilized membrane and enzymatic activities (viable cells, PI-CFDA +) in apple and orange juices during storage and viable counts of > 6 log CFU ml-1. Sizes of cell subpopulations with permeabilized membrane without enzymatic activity (dead cells, PI + cFDA-) were low (< 15%) in apple and orange juices during storage. Sizes of cell subpopulations with non-permeabilized and depolarized membrane (PI-BOX +) were decreased (14%) on day 28 of storage. The sizes of permeabilized and depolarized membrane cell (PI + BOX-) subpopulations were variable among the examined strains in juices during storage. Both strains maintained high PI-cFDA + cell subpopulation sizes (> 35%) after exposure to ileum condition and viable counts of ≥ 5 log CFU/mL. PI-BOX + cell subpopulation sizes were low (< 13%) after exposure to ileum condition. L. fermentum 139 and L. fermentum 263 are capable of maintaining a high population of physiologically active and functional cells in apple and orange juice during 28 days of refrigeration storage and when exposed to gastrointestinal conditions.

A systematic quantitative analysis of the published literature on the efficacy of essential oils as sanitizers in fresh leafy vegetables.

This study carried out a systematic quantitative analysis of published literature on the efficacy of essential oils (EOs) as sanitizers in fresh leafy vegetables (FLVs). Efficacy of EO was measured by determining if their application could cause a reduction of microbial population in FLV, as well as by identifying experimental factors that might affect the achieved reduction levels. Data on efficacy of EO to reduce the microbial population and experimental conditions were collected from selected studies and compiled for a distribution and relational analysis. Reduction of an artificial inoculum and/or natural microbiota of FLV caused by 14 different EO were measured in 404 (73.8%) and 143 (26.2%) experiments, respectively. Results of quantitative analysis showed that EO are consistently effective to reduce microbial population in FLV either when the target microorganisms are forming an artificial inoculum or the natural microbiota, being overall similarly effective to or more effective than substances used ordinarily as sanitizers. EO were more effective to reduce the population of microorganisms forming an artificial inoculum than the natural microbiota. EO concentration and inoculum size had no significant effect on achieved reductions. Duration of sanitization treatment with EO had significant effect on achieved reductions and highest reductions were found when the sanitization time was >3 min. Although with the inherent variability in experimental designs found in available literature, the results of this quantitative analysis provide strong evidence that EO are promising candidates for use in strategies to sanitize FLV.

A review on bioactive compounds of beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris) with special emphasis on their beneficial effects on gut microbiota and gastrointestinal health.

This review discusses the available literature concerning the bioactive compounds of beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and their ability to modulate the gut microbiota and parameters indicative of gastrointestinal health. Data of published literature characterize beet as a source of a variety of bioactive compounds (e.g. diet fiber, pectic-oligosaccharides, betalains and phenolics) with proven beneficial effects on human health. Beet extracts and pectin and pectic-oligosaccharides from beet have shown able to modulate positively gut microbiota composition and activity, with noticeable bifidogenic effects, in addition to stimulate the growth and metabolism of probiotics. Beet betalains and phenolics seem to increase the production of metabolites (e.g. short chain fatty acids) by gut microbiota and probiotics, which are linked with different beneficial effects on host health. The outstanding contents of betalains and phenolics with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties have been linked to the positive effects of beet on gastrointestinal health. Beet should be a healthy choice for use in domestic meal preparations and a source of ingredients to formulate added-value functionalized food products.

Impact of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) by-Product on Composition and Metabolic Activity of Human Colonic Microbiota In Vitro Indicates Prebiotic Properties.

Cashew apple by-product (CAB) is an important agro-industrial waste still underutilized, although it has been characterized as source of a variety of nutrients and bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the capability of freeze-dried CAB (FCAB) submitted to a simulated gastrointestinal digestion of inducing changes in relative abundance of distinct microbial groups found as part of human colonic microbiota, as well as in pH and short-chain fatty acid production during a 24-h in vitro fermentation using a pooled human fecal inocula. FCAB increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus/Enterococcus during colonic fermentation, besides to decrease the relative abundance of Bacteroides/Prevotella, Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides, and Clostridium histolyticum. FCAB increased the counts of lactic acid bacteria and decreased the counts of Enterobacteriaceae during colonic fermentation. Furthermore, FCAB decreased pH and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids in colonic fermentation media. These effects could be linked to contents of dietary fibers and the presence of fructans and different phenolic compounds found in FCAB. These results showed that FCAB induced positive alterations in composition and metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota in vitro, which indicate prebiotic properties.

Aflatoxin M1 in Brazilian goat milk and health risk assessment.

Contamination of goat milk with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a public health concern. This study investigated filamentous fungi in goat feed and quantified AFM1 in milk samples (n = 108) from goat fed forage and concentrate. Based on the detected AFM1 concentration, risk assessment analyses were performed concerning the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for one-year-old children and adults. Filamentous fungi were found in goat feed samples in a range of 3.1 ± 1.9 to 4.2 ± 0.2 log CFU/g. Five genera were identified, to cite Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizopus and Acremonium. Aspergillus species comprised A. flavus, A. niger, and A. ochraceus. All goat milk samples were contaminated with AFM1 (5.60-48.20 ng/L; mean 21.90 ± 10.28 ng/L) in amounts below the limits imposed by regulatory agencies. However, EDI values for AFM1 through goat milk estimated for one-year-old children were above the Tolerable Daily Intake. The calculated Hazard Index for one-year-old children indicated potential risk of liver cancer due to goat milk consumption. The Margin of Exposure values to AFM1 in one-year-old children and adults consuming goat milk as the unique milk source indicated increased health risk. Therefore, contamination of goat milk with AFM1 should be considered a high priority for Brazil's risk management actions.

Gut microbiota and probiotic intervention as a promising therapeutic for pregnant women with cardiometabolic disorders: Present and future directions.

Maternal cardiometabolic disorders, such as gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, obesity, and dyslipidemia, are the most common conditions that predispose offspring to risk for future cardiometabolic diseases, needing appropriate therapeutic approach. The implications of microbiota in the pathophysiology of maternal cardiometabolic disorders are progressively emerging and probiotics may be a simple and safe therapeutic strategy for maternal cardiometabolic management. In this review, we argue the importance of cardiometabolic dysfunction during pregnancy and/or lactation on the offspring risk for cardiometabolic disease in later life. In addition, we comprehensively discuss the microbial diversity observed in maternal cardiometabolic disorders and we present the main findings on probiotic intervention as a potential strategy for management of maternal cardiometabolic disorders. Current data reveal that gut microbiota may be transmitted from mother to offspring. Whether targeting microbiota with probiotic intervention during the periconceptional period prevents or delays the onset of cardiometabolic disorders in adult offspring should be tested in future clinical trials.

Potential interactions among phenolic compounds and probiotics for mutual boosting of their health-promoting properties and food functionalities - A review.

Several foods are rich sources of phenolic compounds (PC) and their beneficial effects on human health may be increased through the action of probiotics. Additionally, probiotics may use PC as substrates, increasing their survival and functionality. This review presents available studies on the effects of PC on probiotics, including their physiological functionalities, interactions and capability of surviving during exposure to gastrointestinal conditions and when incorporated into food matrices. Studies have shown that PC can improve the adhesion capacity and survival of probiotics during exposure to conditions that mimic the gastrointestinal tract. There is strong evidence that PC can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota in hosts, improving a variety of biochemical markers and risk factors for chronic diseases. Available literature also indicates that metabolites of PC formed by intestinal microorganisms, including probiotics, exert a variety of benefits on host health. These metabolites are typically more active than parental dietary PC. The presence of PC commonly enhances probiotic survival in different foods. Finally, further clinical studies need to be developed to confirm in vitro and experimental findings concerning the beneficial interactions among different PC and probiotics.

Maternal dyslipidaemic diet induces sex-specific alterations in intestinal function and lipid metabolism in rat offspring.

This study investigated the effects of a maternal dyslipidaemic (DLP) diet on lipid metabolism, microbial counts in faeces and hepatic and intestinal morphology in rat offspring with respect to sex during different phases of life. Wistar rats (dams) were fed a control (CTL) or DLP during gestation and lactation. After weaning, CTL and DLP offspring were fed a standard diet. The effects of a maternal DLP on body composition, biochemical parameters, faecal microbiota and intestinal and hepatic histomorphometric characteristics in rat offspring were evaluated at 30 and 90 d of age. The DLP diet during gestation and lactation caused lower birth weight and a greater weight gain percentage at the end of the 90-d period in both male and female offspring. Female pups from DLP dams had higher liver fat levels compared with CTL (P≤0·001) at 90 d of age. Males from DLP dams had greater visceral fat weight and lower Lactobacillus spp. faecal counts at 90 d of age (P≤0·001) as well as lower faecal fat excretion (P≤0·05) and Bacteroides spp. faecal counts (P≤0·001) at 30 d of age when compared with pups from CTL dams. However, both dams and DLP pups showed damage to intestinal villi. A maternal DLP alters intestinal function and lipid metabolism in a sex-specific manner and is a potential predisposing factor for health complications in offspring from the juvenile period to the adult period.

Influence of stressing conditions caused by organic acids and salts on tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes to Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oils and damage in bacterial physiological functions.

This study evaluated whether the pre-exposure (24, 48 and 72 h) to sublethal conditions caused by acetic acid (AA), lactic acid (LA), sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium chloride (KCl) could induce increased cross-tolerance to the essential oils from Origanum vulgare L. (OVEO) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (ROEO) in different Listeria monocytogenes strains. Damage to membrane integrity, membrane potential, enzymatic activity and efflux activity in L. monocytogenes cells pre-exposed (24 h) to AA or NaCl and further treated with OVEO or ROEO (8 and 24 h) were investigated using flow cytometry (FC). Results of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) modulation test showed that pre-exposure to sublethal conditions caused by organic acids or salts increased cross-tolerance only to ROEO, since MIC of ROEO increased up to 4.8-fold against pre-exposed cells. Otherwise, MIC of OVEO against these pre-exposed cells was up to ten-fold lower than that observed against not pre-exposed cells, indicating no increase in cross-tolerance. Bacterial survival assays showed that ROEO only decreased the counts over time of cells not pre-exposed to organic acids or salts, while OVEO decreased similarly or more the counts of pre-exposed cells compared to not pre-exposed cells. Results of FC analysis showed that all measured functions in L. monocytogenes cells pre-exposed to AA or NaCl and treated with OVEO or ROEO were affected, although with different intensities. These data indicate that exposure to sublethal conditions imposed by organic acids or salts could result in a phenotype of increased cross-tolerance to ROEO but not to OVEO in L. monocytogenes.

Mentha piperita L. essential oil inactivates spoilage yeasts in fruit juices through the perturbation of different physiological functions in yeast cells.

This study evaluated the efficacy of the essential oil from Mentha piperita L. (MPEO) to inactivate cells of the potentially spoilage yeasts Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Pichia anomala and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in cashew, guava, mango and pineapple juices during 72 h of refrigerated storage. Damage in different physiological functions caused by MPEO in S. cerevisiae in cashew and guava juices were investigated using flow cytometry (FC). The effects of the incorporation of an effective anti-yeast MPEO dose on sensory characteristics of juices were also evaluated. MPEO displayed minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.875 µL/mL against all tested yeasts. A >5 log reduction in counts of C. albicans, P. anomala and S. cerevisiae was observed in cashew and guava juices with 7.5 and 3.75 µL/mL MPEO. Tested MPEO concentrations (1.875, 3.75 and 7.5 µL/mL) were not effective to cause >5 log reduction in counts of target yeasts in mango and pineapple juices during 72 h of exposure. Incorporation of 1.875 µL/mL MPEO in cashew and guava juices strongly compromised membrane permeability, membrane potential, enzymatic activity and efflux pump activity in S. cerevisiae cells. This same MPEO concentration did not affect appearance, odor and viscosity in fruit juices, but negatively affected their taste and aftertaste. These results show the efficacy of MPEO to inactivate potentially spoilage yeasts in fruit juices through disturbance of different physiological functions in yeast cells. However, the combined use of MPEO with other technologies should be necessary to decrease its effective anti-yeast dose in fruit juices and, consequently, the possible negative impacts on specific sensory properties of these products.

Gut microbiota and probiotics intervention: A potential therapeutic target for management of cardiometabolic disorders and chronic kidney disease?

The gut microbiota plays an important role in host metabolism and its dysregulation have been related to cardiometabolic disorders (CMD), such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension, as well as to chronic kidney diseases (CKD). The implication of the gut microbiota on systemic disorders has been associated with changes in its composition (dysbiosis) as a result of the oxidative unbalance in the body. This alteration may be the result of the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behavior, including lack of physical activity and fat- or sugar-rich diets, which are largely associated with increased incidence of CMD and CKD. In last years, a number of clinical trials and experimental studies have demonstrated that probiotics can modulate the host metabolism, resulting in amelioration of systemic disease phenotypes by the improvement of dyslipidemia, glycemic profile and blood pressure or CKD parameters. The beneficial effects of probiotics consumption have been associated with their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and gut-modulating properties. Despite of some mechanistic evidence, these effects are not totally elucidated. The present review summarizes and clarifies the effects of probiotics administration on CMD and CKD using combined evidence from clinical and experimental studies. Considering that the microbiota dysregulation has been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress and consequently with CMD and CKD, supplementation with probiotics is discussed as a strategy for management of CMD and CKD.

Beneficial effects of consumption of acerola, cashew or guava processing by-products on intestinal health and lipid metabolism in dyslipidaemic female Wistar rats.

This study assessed the effects of diet supplementation with industrial processing by-products of acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C.), cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) and guava (Psidium guajava L.) fruit on the intestinal health and lipid metabolism of female Wistar rats with diet-induced dyslipidaemia. Female rats were randomly divided into five groups: healthy control, dyslipidaemic control and dyslipidaemic experimental receiving acerola, cashew or guava processing by-products. Fruit processing by-products were administered (400 mg/kg body weight) via orogastric administration for 28 consecutive days. Acerola, cashew and guava by-products caused body weight reduction (3·42, 3·08 and 5·20 %, respectively) in dyslipidaemic female rats. Dyslipidaemic female rats receiving fruit by-products, especially from acerola, presented decreased faecal pH, visceral fat, liver fat and serum lipid levels, as well as increased faecal moisture, faecal fat excretion, faecal Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. counts and amounts of organic acids in faeces. Administration of the tested fruit processing by-products protected colon and liver from tissue damage (e.g. destruction of liver and colon cells and increased fat deposition in hepatocytes) induced by dyslipidaemic diet. Dietary fibres and phenolic compounds in tested fruit by-products may be associated with these positive effects. The industrial fruit processing by-products studied, mainly from acerola, exert functional properties that could enable their use to protect the harmful effects on intestinal health and lipid metabolism caused by dyslipidaemic diet.

Investigation of damage to Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis exposed to Mentha arvensis L. and M. piperita L. essential oils in pineapple and mango juice by flow cytometry.

The effects of Mentha arvensis L. (MAEO; 0.625 µL/mL) and M. piperita L. (MPEO; 1.25 µL/mL) essential oils on viable cell counts and physiological functions in Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis in pineapple and mango juice after a 15 min-exposure under refrigeration were evaluated in this study. The physiological functions of the bacterial cells were assessed by flow cytometry using the fluorochromes thiazole orange, propidium iodide, bis-1,3-dibutylbarbutiric acid, ethidium bromide, and 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride to investigate membrane integrity, membrane potential, efflux activity, and respiratory activity. MAEO and MPEO sharply reduced (>5 log10 CFU/mL cycles) the counts of E. coli, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis in pineapple juice, and caused smaller reductions (0.61-1.58 log10 CFU/mL cycles) in mango juice. Bacterial cells exposed to MAEO and MPEO in pineapple and mango juice showed increased membrane permeability, membrane depolarization and changes in efflux pump and respiratory activity. More physiological damage occurred in bacterial cell populations exposed to MAEO or MPEO in pineapple juice than in mango juice. These results indicate that MAEO and MPEO inactivate E. coli, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis cells in pineapple and mango juice through a multi-target action mode that disrupts cytoplasmic membranes, increases permeability and potential depolarization, as well as inhibits efflux pump and respiratory activity.