Blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, and strawberry as modulators of the gut microbiota: target for treatment of gut dysbiosis in chronic kidney disease? From current evidence to future possibilities.

Gut dysbiosis is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with uremic toxin production, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease development. Therefore, healthy dietary patterns are essential modulators of gut microbiota. In this context, studies suggest that consuming berry fruits, rich in polyphenols and nutrients, may positively affect the gut microbiota, promoting the selective growth of beneficial bacteria and improving clinical status. However, studies on the effects of berry fruits on gut microbiota in CKD are scarce, and a better understanding of the possible mechanisms of action of berry fruits on gut microbiota is needed to guide future clinical studies and clinical practice in CKD. The objective was to discuss how berry fruits (blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, and strawberry) could be a therapeutic strategy to modulate the gut microbiota and possibly reverse the dysbiosis in CKD. Overall, available evidence shows that berry fruits can promote an increase in diversity by affecting the abundance of mucus-producing bacteria and short-chain fatty acids. Moreover, these fruits can increase the expression of mRNA involved in tight junctions in the gut such as occludin, tight junction protein 1 (TJP1), and mucin. Studies on the exact amount of berries leading to these effects show heterogeneous findings. However, it is known that, with 5 mg/day, it is already possible to observe some effects in animal models. Wild berries could possibly improve the uremic condition by reducing the levels of uremic toxins via modulation of the gut microbiota. In the long term, this could be an excellent strategy for patients with CKD. Therefore, clinical studies are encouraged to evaluate better these effects on CKD as well as the safe amount of these fruits in order to promote a better quality of life or even the survival of these patients.

Far from being a simple question: The complexity between in vitro and in vivo responses from nutrients and bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential.

Food nutrients and bioactive compounds have been widely explored due to the increased prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases. Antioxidant supplementation might be a crucial non-pharmacological strategy against oxidative stress. However, although some assays evaluate the antioxidant potential of a particular food or food compound, in vivo responses related to oxidative stress in the body may not be reproduced or directly correlated with in vitro values. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the relationship between data obtained in vitro for the antioxidant potential of food/food compounds and the effects observed in vivo. More specifically, we examined in vitro methods for evaluating antioxidant potential, their limitations, and the effects of consuming food rich in antioxidants on oxidative stress biomarkers. This review will help to understand the effects of antioxidant compounds on oxidative stress biomarkers (usually measured in vivo) and their use as health parameters to explain the effects of dietary antioxidants.

In vivo functional and health benefits of a prebiotic soursop whey beverage processed by high-intensity ultrasound: Study with healthy Wistar rats.

New technologies for food processing have been used to enhance the beneficial effects of foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a prebiotic soursop whey beverage processed by high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) on healthy rats. Whey beverages were processed by HIUS (20KHz, 520 W of nominal power, <53 °C, 20.3 W of acoustic power, energy density of 2.9 kJ.cm-3 and 9.5 min to process 100 mL) and high-temperature short-time (HTST, 75 °C for 15 s) before being supplemented to Wistar rats by gavage for 15 days. Antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive, and anticancer activities, lipid peroxidation, bioactive peptides, and microstructure of the beverages were analyzed. In addition, the body mass, food, and water intake, systolic blood pressure, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters were measured. The sonicated beverage induced satiety, decreased glutathione peroxidase activity, total triglycerides, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and alanine aminotransferase. These findings suggest that ultrasound technology can provide in vivo health and functional benefits.