Effects of Koumiss on Intestinal Immune Modulation in Immunosuppressed Rats

Overview of Dairy-based Products with Probiotics: Fermented or Non-fermented Milk Drink

Probiotic products have long been recognized for their health benefits. Additionally, milk has held a longstanding reputation as a dairy product that offers high-quality proteins and essential micronutrients. As awareness of the impact of food on health grows, interest in functional products such as probiotic dairy products is on the rise. Fermentation, a time-honored technique used to enhance nutritional value and food preservation, has been used for centuries to increase nutritional value and is one of the oldest food processing methods. Historically, fermented dairy products have been used as convenient vehicle for the consumption of probiotics. However, addressing the potential drawbacks of fermentation has recently led to increase in research on probiotic dairy drinks prepared without fermentation. These non-fermented dairy drinks have the advantage of maintaining the original flavors of milk drinks, containing potential health functional probiotics, and being an alternative dairy product that is helpful for probiotics intake. Currently, research on plant-based dairy products is rapidly increasing in the market. These developments might suggest the potential for novel forms of non-fermented dairy beverages with substantial prospects in the food market. This review aims to provide an overview of milk-based dairy beverages, both fermented and non-fermented, and discuss the potential of non-fermented dairy products. This exploration paves the way for innovative approaches to deliver probiotics and nutrition to consumers.

Metagenetic analysis of the bacterial diversity of Kazakh koumiss and assessment of its anti-Candida albicans activity

Koumiss, a five-thousand-year-old fermented mare's milk beverage, is widely recognized for its beneficial nutrient and medicinal properties. The microbiota of Chinese and Mongolian koumiss have been largely characterized in recent years, but little is known concerning Kazakh koumiss despite this drink historically originates from the modern Kazakhstan territory. In addition, while koumiss is regarded as a drink with therapeutic potential, there are also no data on koumiss anti-Candida activity. In this context, the aims of the present study were to investigate the bacterial diversity and anti-Candida albicans activity of homemade Kazakh koumiss samples as well as fermented whey and cow's milk, derived from koumiss and propagated for several months. Koumiss bacterial communities were largely dominated by lactic acid bacteria including Lactobacillus sensu lato spp. (69% of total reads), Streptococcus (8.0%) and Lactococcus (6.1%), while other subdominant genera included Acetobacter (2.6%), Enterobacter (2.4%), and Klebsiella (1.5%). Several but not all koumiss samples as well as fermented whey and cow's milk showed antagonistic activities towards C. albicans. Linear discriminant effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that their bacterial communities were characterized by a significantly higher abundance of amplicon sequence variants (ASV) belonging to the genus Acetobacter. In conclusion, this study allowed to identify the key microorganisms of Kazakh koumiss and provided new information on the possible underestimated contribution of acetic acid bacteria to its probiotic properties.

Discovery of the Active Compounds of the Ethyl Acetate Extract Site of Ardisia japonica (Thunb.) Blume for the Treatment of Acute Lung Injury

The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the pharmacodynamic constituents of Ardisiae Japonicae Herba (AJH) for the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI). To fully analyze the chemical contents of various extraction solvents (petroleum ether site (PE), ethyl acetate site (EA), n-butanol site (NB), and water site (WS)) of AJH, the UPLC-Orbitrap Fusion-MS technique was employed. Subsequently, the anti-inflammatory properties of the four extracted components of AJH were assessed using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MH-S cellular inflammation model. The parts that exhibited anti-inflammatory activity were identified. Additionally, a technique was developed to measure the levels of specific chemical constituents in the anti-inflammatory components of AJH. The correlation between the "anti-inflammatory activity" and the constituents was analyzed, enabling the identification of a group of pharmacodynamic components with anti-inflammatory properties. ALI model rats were created using the tracheal drip LPS technique. The pharmacodynamic indices were evaluated for the anti-inflammatory active portions of AJH. The research revealed that the PE, EA, NB, and WS extracts of AJH included 215, 289, 128, and 69 unique chemical components, respectively. Additionally, 528 chemical components were discovered after removing duplicate values from the data. The EA exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in the cellular assay. A further analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between anti-inflammatory activity and components. Seventeen components, such as caryophyllene oxide, bergenin, and gallic acid, were identified as potential pharmacodynamic components with anti-inflammatory activity. The pharmacodynamic findings demonstrated that the intermediate and high doses of the EA extract from AJH exhibited a more pronounced effect in enhancing lung function, blood counts, and lung histology in a way that depended on the dosage. To summarize, when considering the findings from the previous study on the chemical properties of AJH, it was determined that the EA contained a group of 13 constituents that primarily contributed to its pharmacodynamic effects against ALI. The constituents include bergenin, quercetin, epigallocatechingallate, and others.

Nutritional ingredients and prevention of chronic diseases by fermented koumiss: a comprehensive review

Koumiss, a traditional fermented dairy product made from fresh mare milk, is a sour beverage that contains an abundance of microbial communities, including lactic acid bacteria, yeast and others. Firstly, probiotics such as Lacticaseibacillus in koumiss can induce the secretion of immunoglobulin G in serum and interleukin-2 in the spleen while beneficial Saccharomyces can secrete antibacterial compounds such as citric acid and ascorbic acid for specific immunopotentiation. Additionally, more isoflavone in koumiss can regulate estrogen levels by binding to its receptors to prevent breast cancer directly. Bile salts can be converted into bile acids such as taurine or glycine by lactic acid bacteria to lower cholesterol levels in vivo. Butyric acid secretion would be increased to improve chronic gastrotis by regulating intestinal flora with lactic acid bacteria. Finally, SCFA and lCFA produced by Lacticaseibacillus inhibit the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms for diarrhea prevention. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms underlying multiple physiological functions through utilizing microbial resources in koumiss represents promising avenues for ameliorating chronic diseases.

Study on the antagonistic effects of koumiss on Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

Toxoplasma gondii is an important food-borne zoonotic parasite, and approximately one-third of people worldwide are positive for T. gondii antibodies. To date, there are no specific drugs or vaccines against T. gondii. Therefore, developing a new safe and effective method has become a new trend in treating toxoplasmosis. Koumiss is rich in probiotics and many components that can alleviate the clinical symptoms of many diseases via the functional characteristics of koumiss and its regulation of intestinal flora. To investigate the antagonistic effect of koumiss on T. gondii infection, the model of acute and chronic T. gondii infection was established in this study. The survival rate, SHIRPA score, serum cytokine levels, brain cyst counts, β-amyloid deposition and intestinal flora changes were measured after koumiss feeding. The results showed that the clinical symptoms of mice were improved at 6 dpi and that the SHIRPA score decreased after koumiss feeding (P < 0.05). At the same time, the levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and TNF-α decreased (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference of survival rate between koumiss treatment and the other groups. Surprisingly, the results of chronic infection models showed that koumiss could significantly reduce the number of brain cysts in mice (P < 0.05), improve β-amyloid deposition in the hippocampus (P < 0.01) and decrease the levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Moreover, koumiss could influence the gut microbiota function in resisting T. gondii infection. In conclusion, koumiss had a significant effect on chronic T. gondii infection in mice and could improve the relevant indicators of acute T. gondii infection in mice. The research provides new evidence for the development of safe and effective anti-T. gondii methods, as well as a theoretical basis and data support for the use of probiotics against T. gondii infection and broadened thoughts for the development and utilization of koumiss.

Dairy-Based Probiotic-Fermented Functional Foods: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties

Numerous studies have shown a link between the consumption of fermented dairy foods and improved health outcomes. Since the early 2000s, especially probiotic-based fermented functional foods, have had a revival in popularity, mostly as a consequence of claims made about their health benefits. Among them, fermented dairy foods have been associated with obesity prevention and in other conditions such as chronic diarrhea, hypersensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, Helicobacter pylori infection, lactose intolerance, and gastroenteritis which all are intimately linked with an unhealthy way of life. A malfunctioning inflammatory response may affect the intestinal epithelial barrier’s ability to function by interfering with the normal metabolic processes. In this regard, several studies have shown that fermented dairy probiotics products improve human health by stimulating the growth of good bacteria in the gut at the same time increasing the production of metabolic byproducts. The fermented functional food matrix around probiotic bacteria plays an important role in the survival of these strains by buffering and protecting them from intestinal conditions such as low pH, bile acids, and other harsh conditions. On average, cultured dairy products included higher concentrations of lactic acid bacteria, with some products having as much as 109/mL or g. The focus of this review is on fermented dairy foods and associated probiotic products and their mechanisms of action, including their impact on microbiota and regulation of the immune system. First, we discussed whey and whey-based fermented products, as well as the organisms associated with them. Followed by the role of probiotics, fermented-product-mediated modulation of dendritic cells, natural killer cells, neutrophils, cytokines, immunoglobulins, and reinforcement of gut barrier functions through tight junction. In turn, providing the ample evidence that supports their benefits for gastrointestinal health and related disorders.

Changes in Microbial Diversity and Nutritional Components of Mare Milk Before and After Traditional Fermentation

The formation and quality of nutrients before and after fermentation depends on microbial community dynamics. In this study, the nutrients and microflora of mare milk were studied before and after traditional fermentation. To achieve this goal, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were used to study the changes in the main nutrients and microbial communities, respectively, before and after mare milk traditional fermentation. A total of 81 nutrients were identified before and after the fermentation of mare milk into koumiss; among these, 6 compounds [citraconic acid, 6-hydroxycaproic acid, creatine, adenine, d-(+)-proline, and histamine] were differentially upregulated. Histamine levels increased after traditional fermentation, whereas Lactobacillus, Dekkera, and Acetobacter grew rapidly and became the dominant microorganisms in the fermentation process. These three genera were positively correlated with creatine and proline levels, whereas Lelliottia was negatively correlated with citraconic acid and proline levels. Prediction of the functions of bacteria and fungi in the mare milk before and after fermentation included carbohydrate metabolism, cofactors and nutrition, and plant pathogens. The results of this study provide new insights into the formation of nutrients in koumiss; it is important to study changes in bacteria and fungi before and after traditional fermentation.