Citrus pectin enzyme hydrolysate (PEH) of different hydrolysis time intervals (6 hours, PEH-6; 12 hours, PEH-12; 24 hours, PEH-24; or 48 hours, PEH-48) or concentrations (1%, 2%, and 4%) was tested for its growth stimulation effect on two probiotics, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Higher monosaccharide concentrations and smaller molecular weights of PEHs were obtained by prolonging the hydrolysis time. In addition, higher PEH concentrations resulted in significantly higher (p < 0.05) probiotic populations, pH reduction, and increase in total titratable acidity than the glucose-free MRS negative control. Furthermore, significantly higher populations in the low pH environment and longer survival time in nonfat milk (p < 0.05) were observed when the two probiotics were incubated in media supplemented with 2% PEH-24, than in glucose and the negative control. In comparison with other prebiotics, addition of 2% PEH-24 resulted in a more significant increase in the probiotic population (p < 0.05) than in the commercial prebiotics. This study demonstrated that PEH derived from citrus pectin could be an effective prebiotic to enhance the growth, fermentation, acid tolerance, and survival in nonfat milk for the tested probiotics.

The increased consumption of high fat-containing foods has been linked to the prevalence of obesity and abnormal metabolic syndromes. Rhizopus oligosporus, a fungus in the family Mucoraceae, is widely used as a starter for homemade tempeh. Although R. oligosporus can prevent the growth of other microorganisms, it grows well with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus plantarum can produce β-glucosidase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucoside isoflavones into aglycones (with greater bioavailability). Therefore, the development of a soybean-based functional food by the co-inoculation of R. oligosporus and L. plantarum is a promising approach to increase the bioactivity of tempeh. In this study, the ameliorative effect of L. plantarum in soy tempeh on abnormal carbohydrate metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperglycemic rats was evaluated. The co-incubation of L. plantarum with R. oligosporus during soy tempeh fermentation reduced the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, HbA1c, serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, insulin, and low-density lipoprotein contents, and significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein content in HFD rats. It also increased the LAB counts, as well as the bile acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, and short-chain fatty acid contents in the feces of HFD rats. Our results suggested that the modulation of serum glucose and lipid levels by LAB occurs via alterations in the internal microbiota, leading to the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis and promotion of lipolysis. Tempeh, which was produced with both L. plantarum and R. oligosporus, might be a beneficial dietary supplement for individuals with abnormal carbohydrate metabolism.

Ruscogenin is a major steroid sapogenin in the traditional Chinese herb Ophiopogon japonicus that have multiple bioactivities. Recent studies have demonstrated that ruscogenin is involved in down-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation in anti-inflammatory pathways. We hypothesized that ruscogenin protects against diabetic nephropathy (DN) by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated inflammatory pathway. To test this hypothesis, the present study was to examine the effects of ruscogenin in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DN.

The polysaccharides from Liriopes Radix (PSLR) has been indicated to ameliorate insulin signaling transduction and glucose metabolism. We aimed to investigate whether PSLR exerts an ameliorative effect on renal damage in diabetes induced by streptozotocin.

The agonists of imidazoline I-1 receptors (I-1R) are widely used to lower blood pressure. It has been indicated that guanidinium derivatives show an ability to activate imidazoline receptors. Also, allantoin has a chemical stricture similar to guanidinium derivatives. Thus, it is of special interest to characterize the effect of allantoin on I-1R. In conscious male spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs), mean blood pressure (MBP) was recorded using the tail-cuff method. Furthermore, the hemodynamic analyses in catheterized rats were applied to measure the actions of allantoin in vivo. Allantoin decreased blood pressures in SHRs at 30 minutes, as the most effective time. Also, this antihypertensive action was shown in a dose-dependent manner from SHRs treated with allantoin. Moreover, in anesthetized rats, allantoin inhibited cardiac contractility and heart rate as showing in hemodynamicdP/dtmax significantly. Also, the peripheral blood flow was markedly increased by allantoin. Both actions were diminished by efaroxan at the dose sufficient to block I-1R. Thus, we suggest that allantoin, as I-1R agonist, has the potential to develop as a new therapeutic agent for hypertension in the future.

Mead is a traditional drink obtained from diluted honey with the appropriate yeast inoculations. However, the production of mead is time-consuming, and the process often takes several months to accomplish. During the elaboration of mead, sluggish and stuck fermentations often occur and lead to the production of undesirable flavours. To improve the condition of longan mead production in Taiwan, multiple yeast inoculations with different strains of yeast were examined in this study. The physicochemical properties and mead aroma compounds were measured. Longan mead without multiple inoculations, but with added yeast nutrients, displayed a sharp increase in ethanol content compared with the inoculated groups without yeast nutrients. However, the physicochemical properties of every mead reached almost the same endpoint at the end of the fermentation time (day 22). Moreover, differences among the groups were observed in their aroma compounds. Some aroma compounds, such as 2-methyltetrahydrothiophen-3-one, 1-propanol and 2-methylbutyl acetate, were only found in the double-inoculation groups, whereas other aroma compounds, such as phenethyl acetate and linalool, were only found in the single-yeast inoculation groups. These results demonstrate that multiple inoculations have a positive effect on longan mead fermentation. This technique could assist local producers in elaborating a longan mead of acceptable quality. Copyright © 2013 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling