Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of 10 Chinese medicinal herb extracts were evaluated by dipping raw sheep meat in extracts, packaging the samples in polyethylene, and refrigerating them at...

Scope: Phaseolus vulgaris L. is rich in alpha‐amylase inhibitor and has been used for reducing glycemia and calories absorption through preventing or delaying the digestion of complex carbohydrate. A randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study was conducted on obese volunteers to evaluate the degree of significate weight loss by regular intake Phaseolus vulgaris cultivated from Southwestern region of China.Method: The volunteers were divided into two groups, homogeneous for age, gender, and body weight. Phaseolus vulgaris extract or placebo was given 2,400 mg per day before each daily meal for 35 consecutive days. Each subject's body weight, fat mass, body mass index, blood biochemical parameters, skinfold fat thickness, and waist/hip circumferences were monitored and analyzed.Result and conclusion: As a result, the average amount of weight lost by the Phaseolus vulgaris extract group was 2.24 kg (average of 0.448 kg per week), compared with a 0.29 kg weight loss (average of 0.058 kg per week) in placebo group after 35 days. The differences between groups were significant (p < .01). The body mass index decreased by an average of 0.79, and the body fat decreased by 1.53% on average compared to baseline (p < .05). The thickness of subcutaneous fat was significantly reduced at the four measurement points, and the decrease of waist circumference and hip circumference was significant as well. No adverse or side effects were observed during the trial period. The results indicate that Phaseolus vulgaris extract can significantly induce weight loss in a short time period.

Combining probiotics and prebiotics in synbiotics may present a synergistic approach to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, further evidence is required to establish the comparative efficacy of synbiotics versus probiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis MN-Gup (MN-Gup) and a synbiotic mixture of MN-Gup and galactooligosaccharide (MN-Gup-GOS) on glycemic control in T2DM patients and explore possible mechanisms. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial assigned 120 T2DM patients, to receive MN-Gup, MN-Gup-GOS, or placebo intervention for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was fasting blood glucose (FBG), with secondary outcomes including hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), inflammatory indicators, oxidative stress indicators, gastrointestinal hormones, gut microbiota, and bile acids (BAs). The median age of the 120 participants was 59 years (interquartile range: 55-62 years), with 40 being men. Compared to baseline, all three groups exhibited significant reductions in FBG. Additionally, the MN-Gup-GOS group demonstrated significant decreases in HbA1c, serum insulin, and HOMA-IR after intervention, whereas no such reductions were observed in the placebo and MN-Gup groups. Regarding the between-group comparisons, the MN-Gup-GOS intervention showed a significantly greater reduction in FBG compared to the placebo (least squares mean difference [95 % CI], -0.69 [-1.29, -0.10] mmol/L, P = 0.022) and MN-Gup (-0.59 [-1.17, -0.01], P = 0.047) group, but not for other indicators of glucose metabolism. Additionally, MN-Gup and MN-Gup-GOS intervention, especially the latter, significantly modified inflammation, oxidative stress, gut microbiota, serum BAs, and GLP-1 levels. Correlation analysis showed significant associations between changes in certain gut microbiota (Bifidobacterium) and BAs (deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid) with glycemic indicators. The auxiliary effect of synbiotics MN-Gup-GOS on reducing FBG levels surpassed that of MN-Gup probiotics alone in T2DM patients, potentially attributed to the enhanced modulation of gut microbiota, BAs, and GLP-1 secretion. This study was registered on the website of www.chictr.org.cn, number ChiCTR2100052187.

Gastrointestinal (GI) afflictions are prevalent among the feline population, wherein the intricacies of the gut microbiome exert a profound influence on their overall health. Alterations within this microbial consortium can precipitate a cascade of physiological changes, notably in immune function and antioxidant capacity. This research investigated the impact of Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on cats’ GI health, exploring the effects of probiotic supplementation on the intestinal ecosystem using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The findings demonstrated a significant improvement in gut barrier function by reducing plasma concentrations of D-lactate (D-LA) by 30.38% and diamine oxidase (DAO) by 22.68%, while increasing the population of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus. There was a notable 25% increase in immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels, evidenced by increases of 19.13% in catalase (CAT), 23.94% in superoxide dismutase (SOD), and 21.81% in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Further analysis revealed positive correlations between Lactobacillus abundance and IgA, CAT, and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels. These correlations indicate that B. lactis and L. plantarum enhance feline immune and antioxidant functions by increasing the abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus in the GI tract. These findings provide a foundation for probiotic interventions aimed at enhancing health and disease resistance in feline populations.