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Popowski D, Kruk A, Pawłowska KA, Dolzkho D, Korczak M, Piwowarski JP, Roszko M, Granica S. Evaluating birch leaf tea as a functional herbal beverage: Beneficial impact on the urinary tract, and metabolism in human organism. Food Res Int 2024; 189:114481. [PMID: 38876582 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Herbal teas are considered as a potential constituent of novel functional beverages consumed daily. One of the commonly used herbal teas is silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaf infusion, traditionally used in urinary tract diseases. In this study, the potential of birch leaf infusion as a functional beverage, emphasizing its active ingredients' bioavailability, anti-inflammatory, and antiadhesive properties concerning urinary tract health, was investigated. A complex approach was proposed, which included phytochemical screening, bioavailability, gut microbiota biotransformation, and an in vivo test for urine metabolomics assessment. The bioassays confirmed significant anti-inflammatory (interleukins IL-6 and IL-8 secretion) and anti-adhesive (Uropathogenic Escherichia coli and T24 bladder cells) activities. The high-resolution mass spectrometry metabolomics studies linked gut microbiota metabolites and the metabolites present in the urine. Several metabolites connected with phenolics' consumption were detected in the urine, e.g., glucuronides and sulfates of caffeic acid and dihydroxyphenyl-γ-valerolactones. Based on the presented results, the birch leaf should be considered useful in designing functional beverages, especially targeted to the groups at high risk of urinary diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Popowski
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Food Safety and Chemical Analysis, Waclaw Dabrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology-State Research Institute, Rakowiecka 36, 02-532 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Kruk
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Karolina A Pawłowska
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Diana Dolzkho
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Maciej Korczak
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jakub P Piwowarski
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marek Roszko
- Department of Food Safety and Chemical Analysis, Waclaw Dabrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology-State Research Institute, Rakowiecka 36, 02-532 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Sebastian Granica
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
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Zhang H, Liu M, Song F, Zhu X, Lu Q, Liu R. Fermentation enhances the amelioration effect of bee pollen on Caco-2 monolayer epithelial barrier dysfunction based on NF-κB-mediated MLCK-MLC signaling pathway. Food Res Int 2024; 178:113938. [PMID: 38309866 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.113938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Intestinal barrier integrity is essential for normal nutrient digestion and absorption and disease resistance. This study aims to investigate how fermentation affects the ameliorative effect of bee pollen on the intestinal barrier dysfunction stimulated by interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor (IFN-γ/TNF-α) cytokines. The results indicated that fermentation enhances the alleviating effect of bee pollen on intestinal barrier dysfunction (including elevated trans epithelial electrical resistance and decreased paracellular permeability). In addition, fermented bee pollen (FBP) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the secretion levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1β and expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 protein in intestinal barrier cells. Furthermore, fermentation improved the ability of bee pollen to up-regulate the expression of tight junction proteins including zonula occludens (ZO)-1, occluding, and claudin-1. Notably, FBP showed stronger ability to inhibit the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) mediated myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain (MLC) signaling pathway associated with phosphorylated proteins. Overall, our results indicated that fermentation enhances the protective effect of bee pollen on the intestinal barrier, and FBP has promising potential to be used as a novel functional food to protect the intestinal barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Wuhan Engineering Research Center of Bee Products on Quality and Safety Control, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Min Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Wuhan Engineering Research Center of Bee Products on Quality and Safety Control, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Fanfen Song
- Research Unit VEG-i-TEC, Faculty of BioscienceEngineering, Ghent University, Sint-Martens-Latemlaan2B, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Xiaoling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Detection Technology of Focus Chemical Hazards in Animal-derived Food for State Market Regulation, Wuhan 430075, China
| | - Qun Lu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Wuhan Engineering Research Center of Bee Products on Quality and Safety Control, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology (Huazhong Agricultural University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Rui Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Wuhan Engineering Research Center of Bee Products on Quality and Safety Control, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology (Huazhong Agricultural University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430070, China.
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Korczak M, Roszkowski P, Skowrońska W, Żołdak KM, Popowski D, Granica S, Piwowarski JP. Urolithin A conjugation with NSAIDs inhibits its glucuronidation and maintains improvement of Caco-2 monolayers' barrier function. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 169:115932. [PMID: 38000358 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Urolithin A (UA) is an ellagitannin-derived postbiotic metabolite which emerged as a promising health-boosting agent, promoting mitophagy, improving skeletal muscle function, and suppressing the inflammatory response. However, phase II intestinal metabolism severely limits its biopotency, leading to the formation of nonactive glucuronides. To address this constraint, a set of new UA derivatives (UADs), conjugated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), was synthesized. The bioavailability and inhibitory activity of UADs against UA-glucuronidation were evaluated using differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers. Parallelly, after the administration of tested substances, the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of the cell monolayers was continuously monitored using the CellZscope device. Though investigated UADs did not penetrate Caco-2 monolayers, all of them significantly suppressed the glucuronidation rate of UA, while conjugates with diclofenac increased the concentration of free molecule on the basolateral side. Moreover, esters of UA with diclofenac (DicloUA) and aspirin (AspUA) positively influenced cell membrane integrity. Western blot analysis revealed that some UADs, including DicloUA, increased the expression of pore-sealing tight junction proteins and decreased the level of pore-forming claudin-2, which may contribute to their beneficial activity towards the barrier function. To provide comprehensive insight into the mechanism of action of DicloUA, Caco-2 cells were subjected to transcriptomic analysis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) uncovered substantial changes in the expression of genes involved, for instance, in multivesicular body organization and zinc ion homeostasis. The results presented in this study offer new perspectives on the beneficial effects of modifying UA's structure on its intestinal metabolism and bioactivity in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Korczak
- Microbiota Lab, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Weronika Skowrońska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Dominik Popowski
- Microbiota Lab, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Food Safety and Chemical Analysis, Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology - State Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sebastian Granica
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Przeor M. Some Common Medicinal Plants with Antidiabetic Activity, Known and Available in Europe (A Mini-Review). Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15010065. [PMID: 35056122 PMCID: PMC8778315 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affected 9.3% of adults worldwide in 2019. Its co-occurrence is suspected to increase mortality from COVID-19. The treatment of diabetes is mainly based on the long-term use of pharmacological agents, often expensive and causing unpleasant side effects. There is an alarming increase in the number of pharmaceuticals taken in Europe. The aim of this paper is to concisely collect information concerning the few antidiabetic or hypoglycaemic raw plant materials that are present in the consciousness of Europeans and relatively easily accessible to them on the market and sometimes even grown on European plantations. The following raw materials are discussed in this mini-review: Morus alba L., Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., and Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer in terms of scientifically tested antidiabetic activity and the presence of characteristic biologically active compounds and their specific properties, including antioxidant properties. The characteristics of these raw materials are based on in vitro as well as in vivo studies: on animals and in clinical studies. In addition, for each plant, the possibility to use certain morphological elements in the light of EFSA legislation is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Przeor
- Department of Gastronomy Science and Functional Foods, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
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