Intake of Blueberry Fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum Affects the Gut Microbiota of L-NAME Treated Rats
Author
Summary, in English
Prebiotics, probiotics, or synbiotics can be used as means to regulate the microbiota to exert preventative or beneficial effects to the host. However, not much is known about the effect of the gut microbiota on hypertension which is a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease and also a symptom of the metabolic syndrome. The N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertensive rats were used in order to test the effect of a synbiotic dietary supplement of Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL19 either together with fermented blueberry or with three phenolic compounds synthesized during fermentation. The experimental diets did not lower the blood pressure after 4 weeks. However, the fermented blueberries together with live L. plantarum showed protective effect on liver cells indicated by suppressed increase of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels. The diversity of the caecal microbiota was neither affected by L-NAME nor the experimental diets. However, inhibition of the nitric oxide synthesis by L-NAME exerted a selection pressure that led to a shift in the bacterial composition. The mixture of fermented blueberries with the bacterial strain altered the caecal microbiota in different direction compared to L-NAME, while the three phenolic compounds together with the bacteria eliminated the selection pressure from the L-NAME.
Department/s
- Division of Food and Pharma
- Clinical Microbiology, Malmö
- Functional zoology
- Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition
Publishing year
2013
Language
English
Publication/Series
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Hindawi Limited
Topic
- Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified
Status
Published
Research group
- Clinical Microbiology, Malmö
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1741-427X