El consumo de probiótico Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7315/7316 mejora el estado de salud general en personas de edad avanzada

Fundamentos: Con la edad avanzada se producen cambios en la microflora intestinal que pueden afectar al estado de salud general. En este trabajo analizamos el efecto de Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7315/7316 sobre la regulación del tránsito intestinal y el estado nutricional. Métodos: Hemos realizado un estudio clínico dobleciego, controlado por placebo y aleatorizado. Hemos evaluado la evolución de la frecuencia de defecación semanal y los niveles en sangre de proteínas totales, albúmina,colesterol y proteína C-reactiva. Resultados: Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7315/7316 ayuda a regular el tránsito intestinal y mejora el estado nutricional en personas mayores. Conclusiones: El consumo de productos funcionales que contengan L. plantarum CECT 7315/7316 mejora la calidad de vida de personas de la tercera edad.

Uso de probióticos em crianças HIV positivas : um ensaio clínico randomizado duplo cego (controlado)

Introdução: AIDS é uma infecção caracterizada pela disfunção das células imunes - imunodeficiência, e freqüente disfunção intestinal. Probióticos, suplemento alimentar microbiano vivo, que afeta beneficamente o animal hospedeiro através do balanço da microflora intestinal e promoção de efeitos benéficos à saúde. Objetivos: determinar a resposta imunológica (CD4 cels/mm3) e diminuir os episódios de fezes líquidas. Metodologias: estudo randomizado duplo-cego controlado, com crianças infectadas pelo vírus HIV (2 - 12 anos), divididas em dois grupos – um recebendo probióticos (fórmula contendo Bifidobacterium bifidum e Streptococcus thermophilus – 2,5x1010 ufc) e, o outro, fórmula padrão (grupo controle). Os valores de CD4 foram coletados no início e término do estudo. A consistência e o número de episódios de fezes foram acessados através de um questionário, e duas amostras de fezes foram coletadas para cultura de Cândida. Resultados: observamos aumento da media de células totais de CD4 no grupo (791 cels/mm3), e um pequeno declínio no grupo controle (538 cels/mm3); a diferença das médias foi de 118 cels/mm3 vs. -42 cels/mm3 (p 0.049), analisado estatisticamente pelo delta de logaritmo base 10 do CD4 log10. Observamos uma redução na freqüência de fezes líquidas semelhante nos dois grupos (p 0,06), porém com leve melhora no grupo probiótico, porém sem diferença estatística (p 0,522). Também houve uma leve diminuição da freqüência de fezes pastosa (p 0,955), bem como um aumento na freqüência de fezes normais nos dois grupos (p 0.01). Conclusão: Nosso estudo mostrou as propriedades imunomodulatórias dos probióticos, e que estes podem ser úteis para auxiliar no tratamento de crianças infectadas pelo HIV.

Probióticos, prebióticos e simbióticos sobre o sistema digestório de frangos de corte

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento de um iogurte suplementado com Spirulina platensis: aaracterização físico-química, microbiológica e sensorial

O iogurte é um produto lácteo que é obtido a partir da acidificação controlada ou espontânea do leite, sendo o seu processo de fermentação desencadeado pela ação de culturas láticas. Este produto apresenta propriedades benéficas para a saúde, como é o caso da regulação do balanço da microflora intestinal, melhoramento da resposta imunitária, redução dos sintomas alérgicos, redução do colesterol sérico e níveis séricos de glicose. Em relação à alga S. platensis, esta apresenta benefícios cardiovasculares, é eficaz no tratamento de certas alergias, cancro, doenças virais, hiperglicemia, imunodeficiência e processos inflamatórios. Esta dissertação teve como objetivo desenvolver um iogurte suplementado com a microalga Spirulina platensis, com posterior caracterização do produto final, em termos físico-químicos, microbiológicos e sensoriais. Foram efetuadas várias experiências de receitas de iogurte até chegar à formulação final, tendo sido testadas diversas variantes. Na avaliação da qualidade físico-química, o iogurte produzido com Spirulina apresentou ao longo do tempo sempre valores mais elevados nos seguintes parâmetros: teor de proteína bruta, teor de lactose, teor de fibras e hidratos de carbono. Foram detetadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os parâmetros e o tipo de iogurte nos seguintes casos: teor de matéria gorda, teor de proteína bruta, teor de humidade, hidratos de carbono, valor energético e pH. Foram detetadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os parâmetros e o tempo de produção apenas no teor de cinzas. Na avaliação da qualidade microbiológica, o iogurte produzido com Spirulina não se destacou por apresentar valores mais elevados. Quando avaliados os fatores tipo de iogurte e tempo de produção, não foram detetadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas em nenhum dos parâmetros microbiológicos. Na avaliação da qualidade sensorial, no iogurte produzido com leite meio gordo com lactose, foi possível verificar que todos os parâmetros sensoriais analisados e as amostras de iogurte são independentes. Em relação ao iogurte produzido com leite meio gordo sem lactose, verificou-se que os parâmetros doce e ácido não são independentes das amostras de iogurte. Em termos de preferência, 71% dos provadores escolheram o iogurte com agar. Relativamente à prova afetiva, não foram detetadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre a amostra preferida e qualquer um dos fatores avaliados (idade e género do provador). Em termos de preferência, 66% dos provadores escolheram o iogurte sem lactose. No que diz respeito à prova triangular, não foram detetadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as escolhas da amostra diferente e amostra preferida em relação ao género do provador. Apesar de 63% dos provadores terem preferido a amostra com 0 dias, apenas 44% conseguiram distinguir entre o iogurte com 0 dias e com 30 dias, o que sugere que mesmo ao fim de 1 mês, o iogurte continua agradável. Com base em todos os resultados obtidos, conclui-se que o iogurte produzido com S. platensis é um produto inovador e saudável, pelos inúmeros benefícios presentes no iogurte, conjugados com os benefícios da microalga.

Intestinal mucosa-associated microflora in ulcerative colitis patients before and after restorative proctocolectomy with an ileoanal pouch

PURPOSE: This study was designed to identify the mucosa-associated microflora in patients with severe ulcerative colitis before and after restorative proctocolectomy with ileoanal pouch construction in comparison with historic controls. METHODS: Ten patients with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis were evaluated. Mucus was collected during colonoscopy from all segments of the colon and terminal ileum before surgery, and from the ileal pouch two and eight months after ileostomy closure. The prevalence and mean concentration of the mucosa-associated microflora were compared over time and with historic controls. RESULTS: Veillonella sp was the most prevalent bacterium in patients and controls. Klebsiella sp was significantly more prevalent in the ileum of controls, was not found in patients with ulcerative colitis, and after proctocolectomy returned to values found in controls. Some bacteria such as Enterobacter sp, Staphylococcus sp (coag-), Bacteroides sp (npg), Lactobacillus sp, and Veillonella sp had higher mean concentrations in the ileal pouch of patients after surgery than in controls. CONCLUSION: No bacterium was identified that could be exclusively responsible for the maintenance of the inflammatory process. The mucosa-associated microflora of patients with ulcerative colitis underwent significant changes after proctocolectomy with ileal pouch construction and returned to almost normal values for some bacteria.

Comparative composition of bacteria in the human intestinal microflora during remission and active ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a severe, relapsing and remitting disease of the human large intestine characterised by inflammation of the mucosa and submucosa. The main site of disease is the sigmoid/rectal region of the large bowel but the aetiology remains unknown. There is considerable evidence to indicate that the components of the resident colonic microflora can play an important role in initiation of the disease. The present study was aimed at characterising the faecal microflora of ulcerative colitis patients in remission and active phases to determine profile differences. Faecal samples were obtained from 12 patients, 6 with active colitis and 6 in remission. The samples were analysed for populations of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, clostridia, bacteroides, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and total bacteria using culture independent fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Lactobacillus-specific denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was then performed to compare the species present. Numbers of lactobacilli were significantly lower (p<0.05) during the active phase of the disease but the other populations tested did not differ. DGGE analysis revealed that Lactobacillus salivarus, Lactobacillus manihotivorans and Pediococcus acidilactici were present in remission, but not during active inflammation. These results imply that a reduction in intestinal Lactobacillus species may be important in the initiation of ulcerative colitis.

Intestinal microflora of human infants and current trends for its nutritional modulation

Diet, among other environmental and genetic factors, is currently recognised to have an important role in health and disease. There is increasing evidence that the human colonic microbiota can contribute positively towards host nutrition and health. As such, dietary modulation has been proposed as important for improved gut health, especially during the highly sensitive stage of infancy. Differences in gut microflora composition and incidence of infection occur between breast- and formula-fed infants. Human milk components that cannot be duplicated in infant formulae could possibly account for these differences. However, various functional food ingredients such as oligosaccharides, prebiotics, proteins and probiotics could effect a beneficial modification in the composition and activities of gut microflora of infants. The aim of the present review is to describe existing knowledge on the composition and metabolic activities of the gastrointestinal microflora of human infants and discuss various possibilities and opportunities for its nutritional modulation.

Effect on components of the intestinal microflora and plasma neuropeptide levels of feeding Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Bifidobacterium lactis, and inulin to adult and elderly rats

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the mixture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. rhamnosus strain GG, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, and inulin on intestinal populations of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and enterobacteria in adult and elderly rats fed the same (in quality and quantity) diet. The portal plasma levels of two neuropeptides, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY), were also evaluated to assess the physiological consequences of the synbiotic treatment for the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of rats of different ages. Adult (n = 24) and elderly (n = 24) male rats were fed the AIN-93 M maintenance diet. After 2 weeks of adaptation, the diet of 12 rats of each age group was supplemented with 8% inulin and with strains GG and Bb12 to provide 2.2 x 10(9) CFU of each strain g(-1) of the diet. Blood and different regions of the GI tract were sampled from all rats after 21 days of the treatment. Treatment with the mixture of strain GG, strain BB12, and inulin induced significantly different changes in the numbers of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and enterobacteria of the stomach, small intestine, cecum, and colon microflora. Moreover, the GG, BB12, and inulin mixture increased the concentrations of NPY and PYY for adult rats. For the elderly animals, the PYY concentration was not changed, while the NPY concentration was decreased by treatment with the GG, BB12, and inulin mixture. The results of the present study indicate that the physiological status of the GI tract, and not just diet, has a major role in the regulation of important groups of the GI bacteria community, since even the outcome of the dietary modification with synbiotics depends on the ages of the animals.

Relationship between dietary-induced changes in intestinal commensal microflora and duodenojejunal myoelectric activity monitored by radiotelemetry in the rat in vivo

Interdigestive intestinal motility, and especially phase III of the migrating myoelectric/motor complex (MMC), is responsible for intestinal clearance and plays an important role in prevention of bacterial overgrowth and translocation in the gut. Yet previous results from gnotobiotic rats have shown that intestinal microflora can themselves affect the characteristics of the myoelectric activity of the gut during the interdigestive state. Given that the composition of the intestinal microflora can be altered by dietary manipulations, we investigated the effect of supplementation of the diet with synbiotics on intestinal microflora structure and the duodenojejunal myoelectric activity in the rat. To reduce animal distress caused by restraint and handling, which can itself affect GI motility, we applied radiotelemetry for duodenojejunal EMG recordings in conscious, freely moving rats. Thirty 16-month-old Spraque-Dawley rats were used. The diet for 15 rats (E group) was supplemented with chicory inulin, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis. The remaining 15 rats were fed control diet without supplements (C group). Three rats from each group were implanted with three bipolar electrodes positioned at 2, 14 and 28 cm distal to the pylorus. After recovery, two 6 h recordings of duodenojejunal EMG were carried out on each operated rat. Subsequently, group C rats received feed supplements and group E rats received only control diet for 1 week, and an additional two 6 h recordings were carried out on each of these rats. Non-operated C and E rats were killed and samples of GI tract were collected for microbiological analyses. Supplementation of the diet with the pro- and prebiotics mixture increased the number of bifidobacteria, whereas it decreased the number of enterobacteria in jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon. In both caecum and colon, the dietary supplementation increased the number of total anaerobes and lactobacilli. Treatment with synbiotics increased occurrence of phase III of the MMC at all three levels of the small intestine. The propagation velocity of phase III in the whole recording segment was also increased from 3.7 +/- 0.2 to 4.4 +/- 0.2 cm min(-1) by dietary treatment. Treatment with synbiotics increased the frequency of response potentials of the propagated phase III of the MMC at both levels of the jejunum, but not in the duodenum. In both parts of the jejunum, the supplementation of the diet significantly decreased the duration of phase II of the MMC, while it did not change the duration of phase I and phase III. Using the telemetry technique it was demonstrated that changes in the gastrointestinal microflora exhibited an intestinal motility response and, more importantly, that such changes can be initiated by the addition of synbiotics to the diet.

Effect of the consumption of a symbiotic shake on the intestinal microflora of erdely people

The consumption of foods containing probiotic and prebiotic ingredients is growing consistently every year, and in view of the limited number of studies investigating their effect in the elderly. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the consumption of a symbiotic shake containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and fructooligosaccharides on glycemia and cholesterol levels in elderly people. Methods A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on twenty volunteers (ten for placebo group and ten for symbiotic group), aged 50 to 60 years. The criteria for inclusion in the study were: total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL; triglycerides > 200 mg/dL and glycemia > 110 mg/dL. Over a total test period of 30 days, 10 individuals (the symbiotic group) consumed a daily dose of 200 mL of a symbiotic shake containing 108 UFC/mL Lactobacillus acidophilus, 108 UFC/mL Bifidobacterium bifidum and 2 g oligofructose, while 10 other volunteers (the placebo group) drank daily the same amount of a shake that did not contain any symbiotic bacteria. Blood samples were collected 15 days prior to the start of the experiment and at 10-day intervals after the beginning of the shake intake. The standard lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol) and glycemia, or blood sugar levels, were evaluated by an enzyme colorimetric assay. Results The results of the symbiotic group showed a non-significant reduction (P > 0.05) in total cholesterol and triglycerides, a significant increase (P < 0.05) in HDL cholesterol and a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in fasting glycemia. No significant changes were observed in the placebo group. Conclusion The consumption of symbiotic shake resulted in a significant increase in HDL and a significant decrease of glycemia.

In vitro three-stage continuous fermentation of gluco-oligosaccharides produced by Gluconobacter oxydans NCIMB 4943 by the human colonic microflora

Gluco-oligosaccharides produced by Gluconobacter oxydans NCIMB 4943 from maltodextrin as the source, were evaluated for their fermentability by the human colonic microflora. The selectivity of growth of desirable bacteria in the human colon was studied in a three-stage continuous model of the human large intestine. Populations of bacteria, and their fluctuations as a response to the fermentation, were enumerated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The gluco-oligosaccharides resulted in increases in numbers of bifidobacteria and the Lactobacillus/Enterococcus group in all 3 vessels of the system, representing the proximal, transverse and distal colonic areas. The prebiotic indices of the glucooligosaccharides were 2.29, 4.23 and 2.74 in V1, V2 and V3 respectively.