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Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a disinfectant gas with strong antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. Applied on hard, non-porous surfaces as an aqueous solution or gas, the ClO2 exerts antimicrobial activity through its interaction and destabilization of cell membrane proteins, as well as through DNA/RNA oxidation, triggering cell death. As for viruses, the ClO2 promotes protein denaturalization mechanisms, preventing the union between the human cells and the viral envelope. Currently, ClO2 has been pointed out as a potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 clinical treatment for use in humans with the ability to oxidize the cysteine residues in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, inhibiting the subsequent binding with the Angiotensin-converting enzyme type 2 receptor, located in the alveolar cells. Orally administered ClO2 reaches the gut tract and exacerbates the symptoms of COVID-19, generating a dysbiosis with gut inflammation and diarrhea as side effects, and once absorbed, produces toxic effects including methemoglobinemia and hemoglobinuria, which can trigger respiratory diseases. These effects are dose-dependent and may not be entirely consistent between individuals since the gut microbiota composition is highly heterogeneous. However, to support the use of ClO2 as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent, further studies focused on its effectiveness and safety both in healthy and immunocompromised individuals, are needed.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Compostos Clorados , Desinfetantes , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2 , Óxidos/farmacologia , Óxidos/química , Desinfetantes/farmacologia , Compostos Clorados/farmacologia , CloroRESUMO
Capsicum spp. fruits (CFs) are a basic ingredient in the diet and have been used as active ingredients in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products, due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties. The antimicrobial activity is the most studied property due to its effectiveness against pathogenic species, however, few studies have focused on the mechanisms of action involved. Therefore, this review discusses the effects generated by the CFs compounds on the viability and metabolism of microorganisms, highlighting the mechanisms by which these compounds exert their antimicrobial effects. The information provided shows that CFs are mainly source of capsaicinoids and phenolic compounds responsible for the inhibition of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, through an increase in the permeabilization of the membrane and cell wall. Also, these compounds show an antiviral effect associated with the inactivation of virus binding proteins, preventing their replication and infection. Despite this, there is still a lack of information about the mechanisms that regulate the interactions between CFs compounds and food-important-microorganisms. Therefore, future research should focus on new antimicrobial compounds from CFs for their subsequent use against novel infectious agents, mainly virus of importance in health such as SARS-CoV-2.
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The water kefir grains are a multi-species starter culture used to produce fermented beverages of sucrose solution with or without fruit extracts. The water kefir grains are known in Mexico as Tibicos, which are mainly used to produce Tepache, a traditional Mexican drink made by fermenting pineapple peel. The microbiota of Tibicos mainly include lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and since most probiotics belong to this group, Tibicos may represent a potential source of probiotic bacteria. Moreover, several bacteria isolated from kefir samples have been recognized as probiotics. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the probiotic properties of a Lactobacillus strain isolated from Tibicos. The isolated, designed as CT12, was identified as Lactobacillus paracasei by sequencing 16S RNA gene. L. paracasei CT12 showed a survival rate of ca. 57% and 40% following simulated gastric and intestinal digestion, respectively. Besides, the strain was sensitive to ampicillin and erythromycin, and exhibited hydrophobicity (97-99%), autoaggregation (ca. 70%) and mucin adhesion properties (up to 90%), while no possessed haemolytic capacity. Furthermore, its cell-free supernatant displayed relevant antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant capacity. Hence, L. paracasei CT12 appears to possess a potential probiotic value.
Assuntos
Kefir , Lacticaseibacillus paracasei , Probióticos , México , ÁguaRESUMO
Synthetic biology is employed for the study and design of engineered microbes with new and improved therapeutic functions. The main advantage of synthetic biology is the selective genetic manipulation of living organisms with desirable beneficial effects such as probiotics. Engineering technologies have contributed to the edition of metabolic processes involved in the mechanisms of action of probiotics, such as the generation of bioactive peptides. Hence, current information related to bioactive peptides, produced by different engineering probiotics, with antimicrobial, antiviral, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive activities, as well as their potential use as functional ingredients, is discussed here. Besides, the effectiveness and safety aspects of these bioactive peptides were also described.
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The interest for food-derived bioactive peptides, either from common or unconventional sources, has increased due to their potential therapeutic effect against a wide range of diseases. The study of such bioactive peptides using conventional methods is a long journey, expensive and time-consuming. Hence, bioinformatic approaches, which can not only help to predict the formation of bioactive peptides from any known protein source, but also to analyze the protein structure/function relationship, have gained a new meaning in this scientific field. Therefore, this review aims to provides an overview of conventional characterization methods and the most recent advances in the field of in silico approaches for predicting and screening promising food-derived bioactive peptides.