Are Fermented Foods Effective against Inflammatory Diseases?

Immunostimulatory effects of Bacillus subtilis-fermented garlic (Aglio): an in-depth in vitro and in vivo analysis

This study evaluated the immunostimulatory potential of garlic fermented with Bacillus subtilis (Aglio) and identified the underlying mechanisms using in vitro and in vivo models. Aglio significantly enhanced macrophage activity, with increased TNF-α (9.3-46.6 fold), MCP-1 (5.3-41.4 fold), IL-6 (2.1-32.1 fold), and IL-12 (1.1-5.5 fold) secretion compared to those of the standard garlic extract. This macrophage-stimulatory activity was associated with MAPK (ERK, JNK, and p38) and NF-κB (IκBα and p65) signaling pathway activation. Aglio significantly increased splenocyte proliferation (1.8-2.9 fold) and TNF-α (32.5-96.6 fold), IFN-γ (26.6-362.3 fold), GM-CSF (2.1-3.9 fold), and IL-6 (10.3-11.6 fold) secretion. Gene expression analysis revealed Th1-related T-Bet upregulation and Th2- and Th17-related GATA3 and FOXP3 downregulation, indicating a Th1-mediated splenocyte activation mechanism. Oral administration of Aglio (125 and 250 mg kg-1) to BALB/c mice increased splenocyte proliferation (2.1-3.3 fold) and elevated splenic cytokine (TNF-α, 1.9-2.7 fold; GM-CSF, 2.2-2.3 fold; IL-6, 1.9 fold) and antibody (IgA, 1.4-1.8 fold; IgG, 1.0-1.7 fold) levels. Aglio administration also increased serum TNF-α (2.1-3.3 fold), IL-6 (1.0-1.1 fold), and IgG (1.6-1.9 fold) levels. Nutrient analysis indicated that Aglio lacked detectable carbohydrates and had negligible protein and polyphenol contents compared to standard garlic extract, suggesting complete biotransformation during fermentation. These findings demonstrate Aglio-mediated immune activation, highlighting its potential as a functional food or nutraceutical agent for immune enhancement.

Anti-inflammatory diets

ABSTRACT

This article reviews inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory foods, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, the benefits of specific anti-inflammatory diets, and strategies for nurses to partner with individuals, while considering culture and food preferences, to promote healthy eating habits and prevent diseases.

Administration of turmeric kombucha ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis by attenuating inflammation and modulating gut microbiota

Our research team previously reported the immunomodulatory effects of kombucha fermentation liquid. This study investigated the protective effects of turmeric kombucha (TK) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis and its impact on the intestinal microbiota of mice. A turmeric culture medium without kombucha served as the control (TW). Non-targeted metabolomics analysis was employed to analyze the compositional differences between TK and TW. Qualitative analysis identified 590 unique metabolites that distinguished TK from TW. TK improved survival from 40 to 90%, enhanced thermoregulation, and reduced pro-inflammatory factor expression and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue, suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway. TK also altered the microbiome, promoting Allobaculum growth. Our findings shed light on the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of TK in mitigating LPS-induced sepsis, highlighting TK as a promising anti-inflammatory agent and revealing new functions of kombucha prepared through traditional fermentation methods.

Nutritional Strategies for Chronic Craniofacial Pain and Temporomandibular Disorders: Current Clinical and Preclinical Insights

This narrative review provides an overview of current knowledge on the impact of nutritional strategies on chronic craniofacial pain associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Individuals experiencing painful TMDs alter their dietary habits, avoiding certain foods, possibly due to chewing difficulties, which might lead to nutrient deficiencies. Our literature investigation revealed that the causal links between nutritional changes and craniofacial pain remain unclear. However, clinical and preclinical studies suggest that nutraceuticals, including vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, isoprenoids, carotenoids, lectins, polysaccharides, glucosamines, and palmitoylethanolamides, could have beneficial effects on managing TMDs. This is described in 12 clinical and 38 preclinical articles since 2000. Clinical articles discussed the roles of vitamins, minerals, glucosamine, and palmitoylethanolamides. The other nutraceuticals were assessed solely in preclinical studies, using TMD models, mostly craniofacial inflammatory rodents, with 36 of the 38 articles published since 2013. Our investigation indicates that current evidence is insufficient to assess the efficacy of these nutraceuticals. However, the existing data suggest potential for therapeutic intervention in TMDs. Further support from longitudinal and randomized controlled studies and well-designed preclinical investigations is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of each nutraceutical intervention and understand their underlying mechanisms in TMDs.

Relationship between dietary live microbe intake and the prevalence of COPD in adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2013-2018

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential association between dietary live microbes and the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, data of 9791 participants aged 20 years or older in this study were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2013 and 2018. Participants in this study were classified into three groups according to the Sanders' dietary live microbe classification system: low, medium, and high dietary live microbe groups. COPD was defined by a combination of self-reported physician diagnoses and standardized medical status questionnaires. Logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to assess whether dietary live microbes were associated with the risk of COPD.

RESULTS

Through full adjustment for confounders, participants in the high dietary live microbe group had a low prevalence of COPD in contrast to those in low dietary live microbe group (OR: 0.614, 95% CI: 0.474-0.795, and p < 0.001), but no significant association with COPD was detected in the medium and the low dietary live microbe groups. This inverse relationship between dietary live microbe intake and COPD prevalence was more inclined to occur in smokers, females, participants aged from 40 to 59 years old and non-obese participants.

CONCLUSION

A high dietary live microbe intake was associated with a low prevalence of COPD, and this negative correlation was detected especially in smokers, females, participants aged from 40 to 59 years old and non-obese participants.

Exploratory analysis on the relationship between dietary live microbe intake and arthritis: a national population based cross-sectional study

Objective

The pathogenesis of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether the intake of live dietary microbes can be used as an auxiliary means for the treatment of arthritis.

Methods

Data used in the present research were originated from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003-2018. Participants involved in the present study were categorized into three groups based on the dietary live microbe classification system, namely low, medium, and high dietary live microbe groups. The analyses utilized weighted univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The restricted cubic spline plot was used to explore the relationship between the high dietary live microbe group and the odds of arthritis.

Results

12,844 participants were included in the present study. The intake of high live dietary microbes in RA group was lower than that in healthy control group and OA group. The proportion of RA patients in the high live dietary microbe group was lower than that in the low and medium live dietary microbe group. Following the comprehensive adjustment for covariates, it was observed that participants in both the high and medium dietary live microbe groups exhibited lower odds of RA compared to those in the low dietary live microbe group (High OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.53-0.96; Medium OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59-1.00, p = 0.02). A restricted cubic spline plot indicates a negative correlation between the quantity of dietary live microbes and the occurrence of RA within the high dietary live microbe group.

Conclusion

The results of our study revealed a significant difference in dietary live microbe intake between healthy and RA patients. Higher dietary intake was correlated with a decreased odds of RA. However, no significant association was found between the occurrence of OA and the quantity of dietary live microbes.

Anti-inflammatory effects of a naturally lacto-fermented cucumber product on RAW 264.7 macrophages in association with increased functional ingredients

A naturally lacto-fermented cucumber product was developed for use as anti-inflammatory functional foods. To explore the anti-inflammatory characteristics, water (CWE) and ethanol extracts (CEE) from this product were selected to assess their anti-inflammatory potential on RAW 264.7 macrophages in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), using four different inflammatory models. Changes in pro- (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine secretions by treated macrophages were measured using ELISA. The results showed that both CWE and CEE had strong potential to inhibit LPS-stimulated inflammation in macrophages in a repair manner. CWE had a better effect than CEE. The total phenolic, flavonoid and saponin contents in CEE were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with IL-10 (r = 0.384, P = 0.036*) and TNF-α (r = 0.371, P = 0.043*) levels, but slightly correlated with TNF-α/IL-10 secretion ratios (r = -0.184, P = 0.359) by treated RAW 264.7 cells, respectively.

Effect of Growth Stages and Lactic Acid Fermentation on Anti-Nutrients and Nutritional Attributes of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a winter-season green, leafy vegetable grown all over the world, belonging to the family Amaranthus, sub-family Chenopodiaceae. Spinach is a low-caloric food and an enormous source of micronutrients, e.g., calcium, folates, zinc, retinol, iron, ascorbic acid and magnesium. Contrarily, it also contains a variety of anti-nutritional factors, e.g., alkaloids, phytates, saponins, oxalates, tannins and many other natural toxicants which may hinder nutrient-absorption. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of fermentation on improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach and mitigating its burden of antinutrients and toxicants at three growth stages: the 1st growth stage as baby leaves, the 2nd growth stage at the coarse stage, and the 3rd growth stage at maturation. The results revealed the significant (p < 0.05) effect of fermentation on increasing the protein and fiber content of spinach powder from 2.53 to 3.53% and 19.33 to 22.03%, respectively, and on reducing total carbohydrate content from 52.92 to 40.52%; the effect was consistent in all three growth stages. A significant decline in alkaloids (6.45 to 2.20 mg/100 g), oxalates (0.07 mg/100 g to 0.02 mg/100 g), phytates (1.97 to 0.43 mg/100 g) and glucosinolates (201 to 10.50 µmol/g) was observed as a result of fermentation using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Fermentation had no impact on total phenolic content and the antioxidant potential of spinach, as evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. This study proposes fermentation as a safer bioprocess for improving the nutrient-delivering potential of spinach, and suggests processed powders made from spinach as a cost-effective complement to existing plant proteins.