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This study evaluated the effects of dietary synbiotics on enhancing digestive enzymes, reducing the overall bacterial count of Vibrio, and minimizing hepatopancreatic histological damage caused by V. parahaemolyticus in shrimp (Penaeus vanamei). The experiments involved administering different treatments, namely Bacillus NP5 (SBM), Pseudoalteromonas piscicida1Ub (SPM), and Bacillus NP5 and P. piscicida 1Ub (SBPM), incombination with the prebiotic mannan oligosaccharide (MOS). This study was conducted for 60 days, followed by a challenge test with Vibrio parahaemolyticus for 7 days. The results of the experiments showed that dietary synbiotic supplementation demonstrated better digestive enzyme activity and histology of the hepatopancreas compared to controls (p < .05). After the challenge test, it was found that the damage to the hepatopancreatic tissue of shrimps was less severe and the total vibrio count was lower in the synbiotic treatment, indicating a protective effect compared to the positive controls (p < .05). In conclusion, the use of dietary synbiotics had the potential to enhance digestive enzyme function and provide disease protection for Penaeus vannamei shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) weaning trial was conducted from the 30th to the 45th day post-hatching (dph). Larvae aged 3 to 30 dph were reared and fed in the same 2m² tank. In this experiment, several hepatic enzymes and antioxidant parameters were examined, including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in larvae subjected to five treatments: control (G); solid-state fermented control (GF); marine synbiotic supplemented (MS); marine synbiotic solid-state fermented (MSF); and marine synbiotic solid-state fermented and resupplemented (MSSF) microdiets. The early weaned larvae fed MS and MSF exhibited significantly greater growth in length during both the 5-45 dph and 30-45 dph periods compared to the other weaning microdiets. Furthermore, larvae fed the MSF microdiet showed significantly better weight growth performance during both periods than those fed the other microdiets. Larvae consuming MS demonstrated the highest activities of glucose, albumin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and acid phosphatase (AP). In contrast, larvae consuming the MSF microdiet exhibited notably higher globulin activity. The larvae fed G and GF showed elevated CAT and SOD total activities, while those fed G presented significantly high specific activities of CAT and SOD. Notably, larvae consuming MS revealed the highest total TAC, while those fed MS and MSF displayed the greatest specific TAC activities. In conclusion, synbiotics supplemented or solid-state fermented microdiets enhanced the growth, survival, and antioxidant capacity of the European seabass larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mycotoxins, secondary metabolites produced by fungi, frequently contaminate feed worldwide. Specifically, deoxynivalenol (DON), a type B trichothecene produced by the Fusarium species, is the most prevalent mycotoxin detected in feed. This study using piglets evaluated the biological antidotes to mitigating DON toxicity. Our results showed that the impact of synbiotic additives on growth characteristics, histological alterations, and microbiota composition was pronounced in the DON-contaminated piglet group. Piglets fed SYN supplementation exhibited growth improvement and histological recuperation, including fibrosis and apoptosis in specific organs. Moreover, the two independent variables such as Prevotella 1 and Romboutsia were statistically significant for predicting the final BW. Furthermore, this study builds on previous research and provides insights into the influence of microbiota composition on DON detoxification. Our findings suggest the control of risks associated with DON in feed, and this study significantly contributes to the existing literature. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common mycotoxin observed in cereal grains, and feed contamination poses health risks to pigs. Biological antidotes, such as synbiotics (SYNs), have garnered attention for mitigating DON toxicity. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of SYNs by comparing the blood biochemistry, histology, and gut microbiome of weaned piglets. A 4-week trial was conducted on 32 weaned piglets. After a week of diet and environmental adaptation, the pigs were divided into four groups: (1) control (CON, n = 8); (2) SYN (n = 8); (3) DON (n = 8); and (4) DON+SYN (n = 8). The SYN supplementation of weaned piglets increased the final body weight (21.71 ± 0.93 vs. 20.73 ± 0.84), average daily gain (0.38 ± 0.02 vs. 0.34 ± 0.02), and gain-to-feed ratio (0.49 ± 0.04 vs. 0.43 ± 0.02), and decreased the feed conversion ratio (2.14 ± 0.14 vs. 2.39 ± 0.13) compared to the DON group. A high dose of DON induced liver and colon fibrosis and liver and cecum apoptosis, which were alleviated by SYNs. Glucose in the DON group (84.9 ± 3.7) was significantly lower than in the control (101.3 ± 4.2). Additionally, both the DON and DON+SYN groups exhibited higher creatine (0.9 ± 0.0 and 0.9 ± 0.1) and lower cholesterol (88.3 ± 3.2 and 90.0 ± 4.8) levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, SYNs alleviated DON toxicity, indicating its potential as an antidote for specific biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and obesity are the main risk factors affecting the development and prognosis of ischaemic heart disease, which is still an important cause of death today. In our study, male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either a standard diet (SD) or a high fat and high carbohydrate diet (HF‐HCD) for 8 weeks and streptozotocin (STZ) was injected at the seventh week of the feeding period. In one set of rats, a mixture of a prebiotic and probiotics (synbiotic, SYN) was administered by gavage starting from the beginning of the feeding period. Experimental myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion (30 min/60 min) was induced at the end of 8 weeks. Hyperglycaemia, hypertension and increased serum low‐density lipoprotein levels occurred in SD‐ and HF‐HCD‐fed and STZ‐treated rats followed for 8 weeks. Increased density of the Proteobacteria phylum was observed in rats with increased blood glucose levels, indicating intestinal dysbiosis. The severity of cardiac damage was highest in the dysbiotic HF‐HCD‐fed hyperglycaemic rats, which was evident with increased serum creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), tumour necrosis factor‐α, and interleukin‐6 levels, along with a decrease in ST‐segment resolution index. SYN supplementation to either a normal or a high‐fat high‐carbohydrate diet improved gut dysbiosis, reduced anxiety, decreased CK‐MB and cTnI levels, and alleviated myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion injury in hyperglycaemic rats. What is the central question of this study?Could synbiotic supplementation have ameliorative effects on myocardial damage and anxiety by regulating gut microbiota? If so, how is the ameliorative effect of correcting gut microbiome dysbiosis manifested?What is the main finding and its importance?Synbiotic supplementation decreased the abundance of the Proteobacteria phylum, which is an indicator of intestinal dysbiosis, inhibited the formation of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, and improved myocardial damage and anxiety, suggesting that it may form a new approach to improving myocardial damage and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prebiotic and probiotic combinations may lead to a synbiotic effect, demonstrating superior health benefits over either component alone. Using the Mucosal Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (M-SHIME®) model, the effects of repeated supplementation with inulin (prebiotic, which is expected to provide a source of nutrition for the live microorganisms in the gut to potentially support optimal digestive health), Bacillus coagulans lactospore (probiotic), and a low and high dose of a synbiotic combination of the two on the gut microbial community activity and composition were evaluated. Test product supplementation increased the health-promoting short-chain fatty acids acetate and butyrate compared with levels recorded during the control period, demonstrating a stimulation of saccharolytic fermentation. This was likely the result of the increased abundance of several saccharolytic bacterial groups, including Megamonas, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium, following test product supplementation. The stimulation of acetate and butyrate production, as well as the increased abundance of saccharolytic bacterial groups were more evident in treatment week 3 compared with treatment week 1, demonstrating the value of repeated product administration. Further, the synbiotic formulations tended to result in greater changes compared with prebiotic or probiotic alone. Overall, the findings demonstrate a synbiotic potential for inulin and B. coagulans lactospore and support repeated administration of these products, indicating a potential for promoting gut health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effect of diet supplementation with a symbiotic (SY), bee pollen (BP), honey bee (HB), date palm pollen (DPP) and their mixture (MIX) on female rabbit productive and reproductive performances under desert hot climates. Seventy-two Californian does of 5 months age and average body weight of 3250 ± 78.2 g were randomly allotted into six groups, each of 12 does. All does orally receive 3 ml distilled water for 10 days before mating and 28 days during pregnancy. Treatments were repeated for four consecutive parities. The first group served as control (C) given distilled water only, however the second, third, fourth and fifth groups were supplemented with 3 ml distilled water containing 0.2 ml SY, 200 mg DPP, 200 mg BP, 0.2 ml HB/doe per day, respectively. While, the sixth group does were given all previous ingredients (MIX). Sexual receptivity rate, fertility rate, kindling rate, and newborn traits were recorded. Also, maternal feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and digestibility coefficients of nutrients were recorded. Does in all groups were artificially inseminated with 0.5 ml of fresh heterospermic semen of 15 fertile bucks extended in Tris at 806–1006 sperm/ml. Treatment increased maternal body weight and daily gain with highest values (P < 0.05) in BP, SY, and MIX does. All treatments enhanced feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with control. Number services per conception decreased (P < 0.01), while litter size and weight and survival at birth and weaning increased (P < 0.01) in treated than control does. Treated does produced more milk than control. Digestibility coefficients of all nutrients were improved (P < 0.01) in treated does. In conclusion, supporting rabbit does pre- and during pregnancy with diets supplemented with a mixture of honey bee, date palm pollen, bee pollen, and synbiotic improves the productive and reproductive performances of rabbit does and their offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), the composition of the gut microbiome changes compared to drug-sensitive patients and healthy individuals. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, aim to improve the balance of bacteria in the gut microbiome. This study aimed to assess the effect of synbiotics on the treatment of DRE and the burden on caregivers. Methods: This one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in Arak, Iran. Thirty children with DRE, diagnosed by a pediatric neurologist and meeting the inclusion criteria in 2021-22, were included in the study. In addition to anticonvulsant drugs, infants were administered PediLact at a dose of 5–15 drops per day for eight weeks, and KidiLact at a dose of one sachet per day for eight weeks for children aged 2–15 years. Both PediLact and KidiLact are synbiotics. To investigate the burden on caregivers (parents), the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview was conducted. In addition, the number of epileptic seizures was assessed from mothers before and immediately after the intervention over one month. Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 8.6 years (SD: 3.4). Eighteen participants (60%) were boys, and 12 (40%) were girls. The results of the study showed a statistically significant decrease in the mean burden on caregivers, from 34.20 (SD: 14.4) before the intervention to 30.26 (SD: 15.8) after the intervention (P = 0.017). The mean frequency of seizures decreased significantly, from 15.83 (SD: 12.9) before the intervention to 12.73 (SD: 12.8) after the intervention (P = 0.001). Following the intervention, the seizure frequency stopped in two patients, decreased by 50% in six patients, increased in one patient, and remained unchanged in 21 patients. Conclusion: The results suggest that Symbiotics in DRE patients are associated with a lower parental burden of caregivers and seizure frequency. Well-designed randomized clinical trial studies are recommended to generate rigorous causal evidence and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds, primarily Penicillium, Fusarium, and Aspergillus species, that may be present in food and feed. Reports indicate that up to 25% of the world's cereal crops could be contaminated with these fungal toxins. Synbiotics, products that synergistically combine probiotics and prebiotics, can reduce harmful metabolites in the gastrointestinal tract by metabolizing or adsorbing toxic substances, including mycotoxins. In the present study, turkeys were fed diets contaminated with ochratoxin A and supplemented with probiotic or synbiotic preparations. The addition of probiotic and synbiotic preparations based on lactic acid bacteria strains, inulin, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast to ochratoxin A-contaminated diets in commercial turkey farming may improve health status and reduce mycotoxin accumulation in poultry organs and tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate carcass quality and analyze gastrointestinal functional status, ochratoxin A (OTA) accumulation in tissues and organs, and the health status of turkeys fed diets contaminated with OTA and supplemented with synbiotic preparations in comparison with commercial probiotic feed additives. The research involved 120 female BIG 6 turkeys, divided into six treatment groups (five replicates, four birds per replicate). Wheat naturally contaminated with OTA (662.03 μg/kg) was used in turkey diets. Turkeys in group 1 received an OTA-contaminated diet without additives. Groups 2 and 3 received 0.4 g/kg of probiotic preparation BioPlus 2B or Cylactin. Groups 4, 5, and 6 received 0.5 g/kg of synbiotics S1, S2, or S3. The following parameters were monitored: growth performance, carcass quality, gastrointestinal tract structure and digesta pH, health status, and concentrations of OTA in the blood and tissues of turkeys. The study found no significant differences in the growth performance and carcass quality of turkey. However, the introduction of probiotics or synbiotics into OTA-contaminated feed mixtures resulted in a reduced pH of the digesta in certain sections of the turkey digestive tract (p < 0.05). Additionally, the tested synbiotic additives significantly reduced liver weight in turkeys at weeks 6 and 15 (p < 0.05). The addition of probiotic and synbiotic preparations based on lactic acid bacteria strains, inulin, and S. cerevisiae yeasts to OTA-contaminated diets in commercial turkey farming may improve health status (p < 0.05) and reduce mycotoxin accumulation in organs and tissues of poultry (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin–glucan (CG) is a new generation of prebiotic. Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM® (NCFM) is a probiotic with the ability to decrease abdominal pain. We evaluate the functional and molecular gastrointestinal responses to a synbiotic administration combining CG and NCFM in a rat model of long-lasting colon hypersensitivity. The intracolonic pressure was assessed during the 9-week experiment in animals receiving CG in association or not with NCFM and compared to that in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lpc-37®-treated animals and control rats receiving tap water. The effects of the synbiotic were evaluated using the Wallace score, the quantification of colon myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the master genes driving analgesia and inflammation. CG 1.5 alone and NCFM 109 colony forming units (CFU) alone similarly decreased the visceral pain sensitivity. Lpc-37 had no significant effect. The best profile of pain perception inhibition was obtained with the combination of CG 1.5 g and NCFM 109 CFU, confirming a synbiotic property. This synbiotic treatment significantly reduced macroscopic colonic lesions and MPO concentrations, and induced master genes involved in analgesia (CB1, CB2, MOR, PPARα), with a downregulation of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα) and an induction of IL-10 and PPARγ. In conclusion, CG 1.5 g + NCFM 109 CFU significantly decreased visceral pain perception and intestinal inflammation through the regulation of master genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy products such as yogurt are considered as one of the most popular foods in the world. Beside the probiotics, functional ingredients such as prebiotics are also used in various products. One of the functional ingredients is propolis which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti-viral and anti-tumor properties, and in addition to this properties it can be a prebiotic which can have beneficial effects on the human digestive system. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of propolis extract on the physicochemical, sensory and microbial characteristics of synbiotic yogurt inoculated with Lactobacillus casei. This study was conducted in five treatments (control (A), 1% (B), 2% (C), 3% (D), 4% (E)) and three replications. Physical and chemical properties such as antioxidant activity and total polyphenol, acidity and pH, syneresis, texture (hardness, adhesiveness, springiness and chewiness), probiotics survival as well as sensory properties (taste, odor, texture, color and general acceptance) of yogurt samples in days 1, 7, 14 and 21 were measured. According to the results of the sensory evaluation team, the highest level of sensorial favorability was related to the control treatment. The lowest pH value in the control sample was 1% and showed a significant difference with the 2%, 3% and 4% treatments. The results of the survival of L. casei on different days showed that the effect of time and propolis percentage on the survival of probiotic was significant. The highest count of L. casei was observed in 4% treatment. It can be concluded that propolis can be used as a prebiotic in yogurt, which can improve the functional and textural properties of yogurt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of the synbiotic product (PoultryStar®me) on Fayoumi and Cobb chickens upon exposure to Salmonella typhimurium (ST) infection and compared the responses of Fayoumi and Cobb chickens to ST infection. Fayoumi and Cobb chicks were fed synbiotic 1 g/kg feed from the first day. At 21 days of age, the chicks were orally challenged with 3 × 1012 cfu ST. At 72 h post-infection (pi), Fayoumi chickens showed significantly lower bacterial loads in their livers than Cobb chickens (p

Chronic constipation is a global medical, social, and economic problem due to its negative impact on patients’ quality of life and increased risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders. The gut microbiota plays an important role in the pathophysiology of constipation through its interplay with the immune system, enteral and central nervous system, representing a promising therapeutic target. Gut dysbiosis in patients with constipation is characterized by reduced relative numbers of bacteria producing lactate (Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae) and butyrate (Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae), as well as with increased numbers of those producing hydrogen sulfide (Desulfovibrionaceae) and methanogenic archaea (Methanobacteriaceae). The leading pathogenetic mechanism related to intestinal dysbiosis in chronic constipation, can be microbial metabolic abnormalities (metabolic dysbiosis) characterized by altered production of short-chain fatty acid, methane, hydrogen sulfide, tryptophan metabolites and by abnormal bile acid biotransformation. It has been proven that dysbiotic abnormalities of the intestinal microbiome play a role in the pathophysiology of constipation, which allows for the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics for effective microbiome-modulating therapy in patients with chronic constipation. The proven role of dysbiotic abnormalities of the intestinal microbiome in the pathophysiology of chronic constipation determines the effectiveness of microbiome-modulating therapy (prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics) in patients with this syndrome. Inulin is the most studied preboitic; it is a soluble food fiber that markedly contributes to the regulation of intestinal microbiota, stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria, and production of anti-inflammatory metabolites. Inulin normalized the intestinal function in patients with chronic constipation increasing the stool frequency, softening the stool, and reducing the intestinal transit time. In addition, inulin modulates the immune response and impacts the absorption of minerals, appetite, and satiety. Treatment with probiotics is also associated with reduced intestinal transit time, compared to controls. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials, only Bifidobacterium lactis strains (but not other probiotics) significantly increase stool frequencies in chronic constipation in adults. Clinical studies have shown that the targeted probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 can significantly increase the stool frequencies in patients with low (≤ 3 per week) stool frequency up to 4.7–5.0 per week, reduce the intestinal transit time and the rate of functional gastroenterological symptoms in adults with constipation. Beyond its clinical effects, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 leads to beneficial changes in intestinal microbiota, significantly increasing the bifidobacteria and decreasing the enterobacteria numbers. The results of trials confirm the importance of synbiotic correction of dysbiotic microbiota in all patients with constipation to increase stool frequencies and improve fecal consistency, as well as to prevent the chronic disorders associated with constipation. Synbiotics, such as a combination of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 and inulin, with the properties of both complementary and synergic synbiotic, may have the greatest microbiome-modulating and functional potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes in patients with chronic constipation compared to probiotics or prebiotics used alone.

Abstract Hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and obesity are the main risk factors affecting the development and prognosis of ischaemic heart disease, which is still an important cause of death today. In our study, male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either a standard diet (SD) or a high fat and high carbohydrate diet (HF‐HCD) for 8 weeks and streptozotocin (STZ) was injected at the seventh week of the feeding period. In one set of rats, a mixture of a prebiotic and probiotics (synbiotic, SYN) was administered by gavage starting from the beginning of the feeding period. Experimental myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion (30 min/60 min) was induced at the end of 8 weeks. Hyperglycaemia, hypertension and increased serum low‐density lipoprotein levels occurred in SD‐ and HF‐HCD‐fed and STZ‐treated rats followed for 8 weeks. Increased density of the Proteobacteria phylum was observed in rats with increased blood glucose levels, indicating intestinal dysbiosis. The severity of cardiac damage was highest in the dysbiotic HF‐HCD‐fed hyperglycaemic rats, which was evident with increased serum creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), tumour necrosis factor‐α, and interleukin‐6 levels, along with a decrease in ST‐segment resolution index. SYN supplementation to either a normal or a high‐fat high‐carbohydrate diet improved gut dysbiosis, reduced anxiety, decreased CK‐MB and cTnI levels, and alleviated myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion injury in hyperglycaemic rats.

Abstract Background In patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), the composition of the gut microbiome changes compared to drug-sensitive patients and healthy individuals. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, aim to improve the balance of bacteria in the gut microbiome. This study aimed to assess the effect of synbiotics on the treatment of DRE and the burden on caregivers. Methods This one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in Arak, Iran. Thirty children with DRE, diagnosed by a pediatric neurologist and meeting the inclusion criteria in 2021-22, were included in the study. In addition to anticonvulsant drugs, infants were administered PediLact at a dose of 5–15 drops per day for eight weeks, and KidiLact at a dose of one sachet per day for eight weeks for children aged 2–15 years. Both PediLact and KidiLact are synbiotics. To investigate the burden on caregivers (parents), the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview was conducted. In addition, the number of epileptic seizures was assessed from mothers before and immediately after the intervention over one month. Results The mean age of the participants in the study was 8.6 years (SD: 3.4). Eighteen participants (60%) were boys, and 12 (40%) were girls. The results of the study showed a statistically significant decrease in the mean burden on caregivers, from 34.20 (SD: 14.4) before the intervention to 30.26 (SD: 15.8) after the intervention (P = 0.017). The mean frequency of seizures decreased significantly, from 15.83 (SD: 12.9) before the intervention to 12.73 (SD: 12.8) after the intervention (P = 0.001). Following the intervention, the seizure frequency stopped in two patients, decreased by 50% in six patients, increased in one patient, and remained unchanged in 21 patients. Conclusion The results suggest that Symbiotics in DRE patients are associated with a lower parental burden of caregivers and seizure frequency. Well-designed randomized clinical trial studies are recommended to generate rigorous causal evidence and conclusions.

Aim: to optimize outcomes of the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases in adults and children. Key points. The Methodological Guidelines contain sections on the terminology, classification, mechanisms of action, requirements for sale in the Russian Federation, requirements for proving the efficacy and safety of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and metabiotics, as well as functional foods enriched with them. An overview of relevant data allowing to include these drugs and products in the treatment an d prevention of gastrointestinal diseases in adults and children is presented. Conclusion. The clinical efficacy of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and metabiotics depends on the specificity and quantity of their components, the dosage form, the regimen and duration of treatment. Products and functional foods with proven efficacy and safety are recommended for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases in adults and children.

Infant colic is defined as a recurrent and prolonged period of fussing, crying and/or irritability that cannot be prevented or resolved by caregivers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a synbiotic (Bactecal D Liquid) in infants consulting a primary health care professional for inconsolable crying. A randomized trial was conducted in 68 infants diagnosed by the consulted primary health care professional as “probably suffering from infant colic”. Patients were randomized into two groups and given the synbiotic once (group 1) or twice (group 2) a day for 28 days. Quality of life (QoL) of the caregivers, evaluated with a Likert scale, was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included the total number of crying episodes, total crying time, gassiness and “balling of the fists”. The median (Q1;Q3) QoL scores were significantly (p < 0.001) higher on day 28 than at baseline: 6 (5;7) vs 2 (1;3). At baseline, there was no significant difference (p = 0.527) in QoL between both groups. The improvement in QoL was already significant after one week of intervention for both groups. The median number of crying episodes, overall crying time, gassiness and “balling of fists” were significantly lower on day 28 compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The synbiotic tested was shown to be efficacious in the management of infant colic. A significant improvement was observed after 7 days of intervention, which is much earlier than the expected decrease related to the natural evolution of infant colic. What is Known: • Some probiotic strains are reported to be effective in the management of infants presenting with colic, if breastfed. What is New: • The synbiotic studied improved quality of life of caregivers of infants presenting infant colic. • Two doses of the synbiotic were not more effective than one dose. • The improved occurred within one week. • The improvement was independent of feeding (breastfeeding, formula feeding or mixed feeding). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Evidence suggests that alterations in the gut microbiome could play a role in cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of synbiotics on serum paraoxonase 1(PON1), soluble CD163/soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sCD163/sTWEAK), and lipid profile, which are involved in heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure. In this triple-blind randomized clinical trial, 90 eligible patients were included in the study. They were randomly assigned to receive one capsule (500 mg) of synbiotics or a placebo daily for ten weeks. Serum PON1, sCD163/sTWEAK, and lipid profiles were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The data were analyzed by SPSS 24, and the p-value

There is increasing evidence supporting the relationship between imbalance of gut microbiota and development of chronic kidney and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of synbiotic supplementation on plasma levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and cardiovascular risk factors in hemodialysis (HD) patients. In this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial, 36 HD patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive two synbiotic supplements (n = 19) or placebo (n = 17) daily for 12 weeks. Levels of AGEs, fibrinogen, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and other measures were assessed at the beginning and end of the study. The data were analyzed using independent t‐tests, paired t‐tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). At the end of the study, the plasma levels of AGEs increased significantly in both the synbiotic (p <.001) and control (p =.001) groups, but the difference between the groups was not significant (p =.272). Plasma levels of fibrinogen decreased specifically within the synbiotic group (p =.007), and a statistically significant disparity between the groups persisted at the study's conclusion (p =.016). The mean levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) decreased (p <.05) in both groups, but there was no difference between the two groups at the end of the study (p =.116). No significant differences were observed in other measured biomarkers. Synbiotic supplementation improved plasma fibrinogen and BUN levels in HD patients, but did not significantly improve AGEs and HbA1c. Further investigations are needed to investigate the effect of probiotics on AGEs in HD patients at different stages of kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the outcomes associated with the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for the treatment of chronic constipation in adults. Methods: We searched eight electronic databases from database inception to July 11, 2023, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that report efficacy and safety for the treatment of chronic constipation. The risk of bias in the included RCTs was evaluated according to the Cochrane tool, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis framework. The analysis was conducted using R version 4.3.0. Results: Out of the 37 RCTs, a total of 21 different types of interventions were reported, involving 3,903 patients. This NMA demonstrated that both prebiotics and synbiotics resulted in an increase in frequency of stool movements per week. Compared to placebo, lactulose (Mean difference [MD] = 3.39, 95% Confdence interval [CI] [1.13, 5.65], moderate certainty), mix2 (consisting of Lactulose and Bacillus coagulans) (MD = 3.63, 95% CI [1.37, 5.89], moderate certainty), mix6 (consisting of Lactulose and Bifidobacterium coagulans) (MD = 4.30, 95% CI [1.04, 7.54], low certainty), and mix7 (consisting of Lactulose, Bifidobacterium subtilis, and Enterococcus faecium) (MD = 4.58, 95% CI [1.35, 7.78], moderate certainty) exhibited a significant effect. Notably, mix7 demonstrated the highest probability of being the most effective intervention (94.8%). Furthermore, when compared to L. plantarum, four probiotics and two synbiotics showed significant advantages in the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) score. L. reuteri (MD = -13.74, 95% CI [-22.20, -4.66], very low certainty) exhibited a significant effect in improving the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QoL) score. In terms of safety, there were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups in all adverse event analyses. Conclusions: Moderate to very low evidence supports the use of lactulose and synbiotics to increase the number of weekly stool movements in patients, particularly highlighting the significant impact of synbiotics in increasing the number of weekly stool movements in patients with constipation. The use of L. paracasei showed improvements in PAC-SYM scores, while L. reuteri demonstrated enhancements in PAC-QoL scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the epidemic proportions of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) globally, it's crucial to comprehensively understand the factors influencing its management. The gut microbiome, known for its influence on various aspects of health, has emerged as a potential regulator of blood pressure in individuals with T2DM. This umbrella review aimed to consolidate the findings of existing meta-analyses investigating the impact of gut microbiome modulation on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in T2DM patients. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to July 2023. Quality assessment was performed using the AMSTAR2 and GRADE checklists. Statistical analyses were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) version 3. A total of 6 meta-analyses meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The results revealed a significant association between microbial modulation and diastolic blood pressure (SMD: −0.133; 95% CI: −0.219 to −0.048; P = 0.002). However, the effect of gut microbial modulation on systolic blood pressure did not reach statistical significance (SMD: −0.077; 95% CI: −0.162 to 0.009; P = 0.078). This study found that modulating the gut microbiome had a statistically significant impact on diastolic blood pressure in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, no significant effect was observed on systolic blood pressure. While high-quality meta-analyses reported favorable outcomes, caution is warranted due to the low clinical importance, diversity in study populations, and variations in interventions. • Emphasizing the importance of blood pressure control among patients with T2DM. • Introducing gut microbiome therapy as a novel treatment for T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEmerging evidence suggests that bone turnover is influenced by the gut microbiome through critical bone signaling pathways. The purpose of this scoping review is to examine prebiotic, probiotic, and synbiotic interventions on bone outcomes in humans across the lifespan. PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost were searched until January 2023 to identify clinical trials examining bone mineral density (BMD) or bone mineral content (BMC) with gut microbiome interventions. Of three prebiotic interventions, one reported higher areal BMD (aBMD) in adolescents. In two studies in postmenopausal women, no changes in aBMD were observed despite decreased biomarkers of bone resorption. Probiotic interventions in perimenopausal or postmenopausal women demonstrated increased aBMD or attenuated bone loss in various bone regions. All studies observed attenuated bone loss (n = 4) or increased aBMD (n = 1). One study assessed a synbiotic intervention on aBMD and observed decreased biomarkers of bone resorption but no changes in aBMD. Results suggest potential for microbiome-targeted therapies (prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics) to attenuate bone loss. However, changes in biomarkers of bone turnover were not always accompanied by changes in bone mineralization. Future studies should utilize longer duration interventions to investigate the influence of prebiotic, probiotic, and synbiotic interventions across diverse age, sex, and ethnic cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Evidence suggests that alterations in the gut microbiome could play a role in cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of synbiotics on serum paraoxonase 1(PON1), soluble CD163/soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sCD163/sTWEAK), and lipid profile, which are involved in heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure. In this triple-blind randomized clinical trial, 90 eligible patients were included in the study. They were randomly assigned to receive one capsule (500 mg) of synbiotics or a placebo daily for ten weeks. Serum PON1, sCD163/sTWEAK, and lipid profiles were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The data were analyzed by SPSS 24, and the p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Among 90 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 80 completed the study. The primary outcomes showed a small effect on sTWEAK, with an adjusted standard mean difference (SMD) of 0.2. However, no significant changes were observed in sCD163/sTWEAK (SMD: 0.16). Secondary outcomes indicated no changes in PON1, total cholesterol (TC), or LDL-C levels. However, there was an increase in HDL-C levels (adjusted SMD: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.02–0.91) and a decrease in TG and TC/HDL levels (adjusted SMD: − 0.5 and − 0.3, respectively) in the synbiotic group. A favorable effect of synbiotics on sTWEAK, HDL, TG, and TC/HDL of patients with heart failure was observed, but no statistically significant effect was found on sCD163/sTWEAK, PON1, LDL, and TC factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of synbiotic microcapsules through feed on growth performance and immune response of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in field testing during IMNV disease outbreaks and fluctuating weather. Four groups of shrimps (4.11 ± 0.05 g) with four replicates were fed with different doses of synbiotic microcapsules SIN 0 (0%), SIN 0.5 (0.5%), SIN 1 (1%), and SIN 1.5 (1.5%) for 60 days with a feeding frequency of 4 times a day (07.00, 11.00, 15.00, and 19.00) based on a feeding rate from 4% (w/w) for average body weight < 4 g, 3% (w/w) for average body weight 4–10 g, and reduced until 2% (w/w) for average body weight 10–25 g, depending on the feed index adapting to operational standards procedures for Pacific white shrimp cultivation production from PT Steladus. The synbiotic microcapsules consisted of prebiotic mannan oligosaccharide/MOS, probiotic Pseudoalteromonas piscicida (1UB), and Bacillus cereus (BR2). This study focused on parameters of growth performance (survival rate/SR, specific growth rate/SGR, feed conversion ratio/FCR), immune response (total hemocyte count/THC, differential hemocyte count/DHC, respiratory burst/RB, phenoloxidase/PO activity, phagocytic activity/PA), microbiology (total bacterial count/TBC, 1UB + BR2 TetR count, total Vibrio count/TVC), and histopathology. The results showed significant results that synbiotic microcapsules increased SR, SGR also reduced FCR with the best results in SIN 1.5 (SR: 93.50 ± 1.30%, SGR: 4.83 ± 0.01% days−1, and FCR: 1.16 ± 0.02). Immune response of THC, RB, PO, and PA in the synbiotic microcapsule treatment showed higher values with the best results in the SIN 1.5 treatment, while DHC had no significant difference. TBC, 1UB, and BR2 TetR count values increased until the 60th day, with the highest value in the SIN 1.5, while TVC showed the lowest value in both intestinal and hepatopancreas organs. Histopathological results showed that hepatopancreas and intestinal organs experienced tissue damage in all treatments, with synbiotic microcapsules showing less damage when compared to SIN 0. In conclusion, supplementation of dual-species synbiotic microcapsules through feed can improve growth performance and immune response and suppress Vibrio during the outbreak with the best dose of 1.5% synbiotic microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a synbiotic coating of flaxseed mucilage, defatted rice bran carbohydrate, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BB12 was fabricated for coating dried mango slices (M‐P‐C). The control samples contained only probiotic bacteria without coating (M‐P). Several quality parameters (moisture, weight loss, shrinkage percentage, pH, firmness, and color) were assessed on specific storage circumstances (25°C, relative humidity (RH) = 22%.). In addition, the survival of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BB12 was evaluated on storage and under simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. According to the results, the log number of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BB12 reached 8.1 and 6.2 for coated and uncoated samples, respectively, during the 45 days storage at 25°C (>6 log CFU (log colony‐forming units)/g) and at finished stage of in vitro gastrointestinal circumstances, the log number of probiotic bacterial count reached 6.8 and 4 for coated and uncoated samples, respectively. The coating resulted in significantly less weight loss, moisture loss, and shrinkage of the mango slices than uncoated ones (p <.05). The growth of yeasts and molds was undetectable in both samples. The results of acceptance experiments for M‐P and M‐P‐C dried mango samples showedthat there were no significant differences between M‐P and M‐P‐C samples (p >.05), indeed in the case of purchase intention and overall acceptability. After reading the text highlighting, there was no significant difference in all attributes of M‐P‐C samples pre and post of reading text highlighting. It could be concluded that the synbiotic coating of mango slices improved the quality characteristics of the dried mango as well as viability of the probiotic bacteria at storage time and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been proven that natural apricot gum and the functional sour milk drink "Narine" fermented by L. helveticus MDC 9602, possess health-promoting and healing properties. The combined use of L. helveticus and apricot gum in dairy fermentation can create a new functional product with enhanced healing and organoleptic properties. Objective: To create a new functional fermented milk product by combining Apricot gum (AG) and L. helveticus, with improved health-promoting and sensory properties. Methods: For joint fermentation, 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1.0% of raw AG were dissolved in milk preheated to 60°C, pasteurized at 85°C for 15 minutes, and cooled to 45°C. Subsequently, the samples were inoculated with L. helveticus culture at a concentration of 5% and incubated at 37°C. The clotted samples were then transferred to 5°C for ripening. Analysis of the samples was carried out at 1, 14, and 28 days of storage. Antioxidant capacity was determined by the DPPH-scavenging assay. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 colorimetric methods, respectively. Results: Apricot gum significantly stimulates the growth of the probiotic L. helveticus starter culture in microbiological medium and in milk. The stimulation of L. helveticus growth leads to a significant increase in the rate of coagulation and acidification of milk, improving the consistency and viscosity of Narine. The addition of AG extends the shelf life of the product in refrigerated storage, maintains a high viability count of the starter culture, and reduces syneresis and acidification. AG also significantly increases the antioxidant activity, which correlates with the viable cell count of L. helveticus. A synergistic increase in the viscosity of milk enriched with AG was discovered, depending on the degree of acidification. Conclusions: The high total phenolic content plays a key role in the biological activity of raw apricot gum. Most of the AG-induced changes, such as increased milk coagulation rate, enhanced antioxidant activity, and improved acidity, were found to be due to the promotion of starter culture growth. Raw AG can be used to increase the yield of bioactive peptides in LAB cultures and to improve the functional and sensory properties of yogurts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is the consequence of a disturbed gastro-intestinal microbiome. Certain probiotic strains (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745, Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) DSM 17,938, the combination of L. rhamnosus 19070–2 and L. reuteri DSM 12,246) reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea. Areas covered: Relevant literature was sourced from PubMed and CINAHL. Important reviews until 2021 were summarized in tables. New evidence for pro-, pre-, syn- and postbiotics in AGE was searched for. Postbiotics offer advantages regarding product stability and show accumulating evidence. Heterogeneity in studies regarding the in- and exclusion criteria, primary and secondary endpoints, type, dose, timing and duration of biotic administration limits the evidence. Expert opinion: Development of a core outcome set for children with AGE would be beneficial, as its application would increase the homogeneity of the available evidence. The vast majority of the 'biotics' is registered as food supplement. Regulations for food supplements prioritize safety over efficacy, making them considerably more tolerant compared to the regulation for registration as medication. We recommend that at least one randomized controlled trial is published with the commercialized product before marketing the product, despite the fact that legislation regarding food supplements requires only safety data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent burgeoning literature unveils the importance of gut microbiota in the neuropathology of post-stroke brain injury and recovery. Indeed, ingestion of prebiotics/probiotics imparts positive effects on post-stroke brain injury, neuroinflammation, gut dysbiosis, and intestinal integrity. However, information on the disease-specific preference of selective prebiotics/probiotics/synbiotics and their underlying mechanism is yet elusive. Herein, we examined the effect of a new synbiotic formulation containing multistrain probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri UBLRu-87, Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP-40, Lactobacillus rhamnosus UBLR-58, Lactobacillus salivarius UBLS-22, and Bifidobacterium breve UBBr-01), and prebiotic fructooligosaccharides using a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of cerebral ischemia in female and male rats. Three weeks pre-MCAO administration of synbiotic rescinded the MCAO-induced sensorimotor and motor deficits on day 3 post-stroke in rotarod, foot-fault, adhesive removal, and paw whisker test. We also observed a decrease in infarct volume and neuronal death in the ipsilateral hemisphere of synbiotic-treated MCAO rats. The synbiotic treatment also reversed the elevated levels/mRNA expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), NeuN, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and caspase-3 and decreased levels of occludin and zonula occludens-1 in MCAO rats. 16S rRNA gene-sequencing data of intestinal contents indicated an increase in genus/species of Prevotella (Prevotella copri), Lactobacillus (Lactobacillus reuteri), Roseburia, Allobaculum, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and decreased abundance of Helicobacter, Desulfovibrio, and Akkermansia (Akkermansia muciniphila) in synbiotic-treated rats compared to the MCAO surgery group. These findings confer the potential benefits of our novel synbiotic preparation for MCAO-induced neurological dysfunctions by reshaping the gut-brain-axis mediators in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amongst all available intracanal medicaments, calcium hydroxide has been considered as a ideal agent for elimination of root canal pathogens. Due to the immense resilience portrayed by E. faecalis due to its ability to penetrate deep into dentin and survive extreme conditions, it is only prudent to consider the use of newer strategies as against conventional strategies to better aid in eradication of the E. faecalis bacteria from root canals and hence a synbiotic product may be considered as a novel alternative for the eradication of E.faecalis. Methodology 96 single rooted premolars were inoculated with E.faecalis (ATCC 29212) invitro and were the subjected to testing by inoculation into Mueller hinton agar to confirm bacterial growth and for colony counting. This was then followed by random division of samples into three groups. Group I-Calcium hydroxide, Group II-Calcium hydroxide and 2%Chlorhexidine and Group III-Synbiotic paste. The medicaments were then placed into the canals of the inoculated samples and placed in an incubator for 7 days. Then the samples were reinoculated into Mueller Hinton agar and colonies were counted and collected in a data collection table. Results Mean Colony forming units was 114.06 x 103±9.31 premedication and 82.37x103±7.29 post medication for calcium hydroxide. This difference in colony forming units was statistically highly significant. For Calcium hydroxide + Chlorhexidine mean colony forming units was reduced to 70.34x103±6.35 post medication from 113.46x103±11.25 premedication respectively. For synbiotic the colony forming units was 118.21x103±8.30 premedication and 86.15x103±5.78 post medication. This difference was statistically high significant Conclusion This study revealed that calcium hydroxide, its combination with chlorhexidine and synbiotic paste are all effective as intracanal medicaments against E.faecalis. The use of synbiotic paste as an intracanal medicament, may be advocated as an effective intracanal medicament but further studies need to be conducted in order to better understand it efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring probiotics for their crosstalk with the host microbiome through the fermentation of non-digestible dietary fibers (prebiotics) for their potential metabolic end-products, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), is important for understanding the endogenous host-gut microbe interaction. This study was aimed at a systematic comparison of commercially available probiotics to understand their synergistic role with specific prebiotics in SCFAs production both in vitro and in the ex vivo gut microcosm model. Probiotic strains isolated from pharmacy products including Lactobacillus sporogenes (strain not labeled), Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC53103), Streptococcus faecalis (T-110 JPC), Bacillus mesentericus (TO-AJPC), Bacillus clausii (SIN) and Saccharomyces boulardii (CNCM I-745) were assessed for their probiotic traits including survival, antibiotic susceptibility, and antibacterial activity against pathogenic strains. Our results showed that the microorganisms under study had strain-specific abilities to persist in human gastrointestinal conditions and varied anti-infective efficacy and antibiotic susceptibility. The probiotic strains displayed variation in the utilization of six different prebiotic substrates for their growth under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Their prebiotic scores (PS) revealed which were the most suitable prebiotic carbohydrates for the growth of each strain and suggested xylooligosaccharide (XOS) was the poorest utilized among all. HPLC analysis revealed a versatile pattern of SCFAs produced as end-products of prebiotic fermentation by the strains which was influenced by growth conditions. Selected synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) combinations showing high PS and high total SCFAs production were tested in an ex vivo human gut microcosm model. Interestingly, significantly higher butyrate and propionate production was found only when synbiotics were applied as against when individual probiotic or prebiotics were applied alone. qRT-PCR analysis with specific primers showed that there was a significant increase in the abundance of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria with synbiotic blends compared to pre-, or probiotics alone. In conclusion, this work presents findings to suggest prebiotic combinations with different well-established probiotic strains that may be useful for developing effective synbiotic blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Synbiotics confer benefits to our health. Study on the promotion effects of prebiotics combinations on probiotics growth is necessary for synbiotics preparation. However, there exists few reports on how to combine different prebiotics. The aim of the study was to explore combined effect of prebiotics combinations in modulating probiotics growth for rational synbiotics development. Four prebiotic oligosaccharides were screened for their promotion effects on the growth of four representative probiotics. Then, SynergyFinder 3.0 was used for the first time to rationally analyse interaction of various oligosaccharides combinations. Results showed that there was no synergism between any of two oligosaccharides under the conditions studied, but rather a superposition effect. Finally, the optimal oligosaccharides combinations based on the maximum specific growth rate and the maximum cell yield were selected. This study advanced our knowledge of oligosaccharides utilisation by probiotics and provided guidance on the rational selection of oligosaccharides combinations for specific probiotics, which was important for the design of synergistic synbiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthy population, including children and adults, naturally carries Lactobacilli in their nasal microflora, which probiotics can maintain. The potential benefits of probiotics and prebiotics to address nasal infections have not been thoroughly investigated. Hence, a novel reconstitutable synbiotic nasal spray dried powder (NSDP) has been proposed to protect and preserve the nasal microbiome. Several batches of NSDP were prepared by spray drying Terminalia chebula (T. chebula) with varying concentrations of carriers, including sorbitol, mannitol, and maltodextrin, to study the efficacy of the prebiotic potential of T. chebula. NSDP was evaluated for yield, LOD, micromeritic properties, size distribution by optical microscopy, laser diffraction, and surface topography by SEM. L. casei as a probiotic was added before spray drying to the optimized batch of NSDP. Probiotic-loaded NSDP was reconstituted and studied for pH, rheology, pump delivery, and viability enumeration before and after the spray drying and investigated for in-vitro efficacy by co-culture technique. Mannitol as a carrier showed parameters in a desirable range. The optimized mannitol batch yielded 37.3 %, with a moisture content of 4.6 ± 0.22 %, good flow properties, and an optimum particle size of 30.68± 4.1 µm. The pH of reconstituted optimized NSDP was about 6.2 to 6.3, with pump delivery 0.112 g/spray, and had shear thinning properties with significant results in viability and in-vitro efficacy by co-culture technique (P < 0.0001). The proposed NSDP formulation can be potentially used in restoring the nasal flora and can be further investigated for protective effects against nasal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential link between dysbiosis, features of metabolic syndrome (MetS), inflammation, and sensation impairment has been recently recognized. However, in this context, there are few indications available regarding the effects of co‐supplementation with Bacillus indicus, Bacillus coagulans, and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) prebiotics on patients with MetS. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of synbiotic supplementation on glycemic indices, inflammatory biomarkers, and appetite among adults with MetS. This study is a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial conducted in the Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center outpatient clinic in Isfahan, Iran. Fifty‐eight MetS patients were randomly assigned to receive either synbiotics (n = 29) or placebo (n = 29) supplementation twice per day for 8 weeks. Finally, 55 patients were recruited for analyses (28 in the intervention group and 27 in the placebo group). Random permuted blocks and a computer‐generated random number table were used for treatment allocation. No adverse effects were reported during the study. There were no significant differences in glycemic indices and inflammatory markers within‐ and between groups (all p >.05). However, a significant increase in the sensation of fullness was documented in the synbiotic group. In conclusion, the eight‐week treatment did not improve glycemic control and inflammatory markers. Nevertheless, it demonstrated potential efficacy in enhancing participants' appetite sensations, warranting further evaluation in longer intervention periods during future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To conduct a randomized controlled trial meta-analysis and provide concise and specific recommendations for clinical practice optimization of gestational diabetes for probiotics. Up until May 2023, we conducted a thorough, systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Central Controlled Trials, and Embase. Stata software was used to merge the resulting data from the original studies. Cochran's Q and the I2 statistics were used to evaluate and quantify heterogeneity. The GRADE method was used to evaluate the overall quality of the evidence. Sources of heterogeneity were analyzed through a leave-one-out meta-analysis, a Galbraith plot, and a subgroup analysis. A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials with a total of 713 participants was finally conducted. Our findings indicated the administration of probiotics at a median dosage of 6 × 109 CFU/day led to a substantial improvement in fasting glucose levels (MD: −4.16 mg/dL [95% CI: −6.78, −1.54]; P < 0.001), fasting insulin levels (MD: −3.33 μIU/ml [95% CI: −4.92, −1.74]; P < 0.001), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD: −0.71 [95% CI: −0.97, −0.45]; P < 0.001), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (MD: 0.01 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.02]; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated that probiotic intervention exerted a more significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in patients with higher baseline BMI and glucose levels, and reduced fasting insulin more markedly in those with elevated baseline insulin. According to the GRADE assessment, the quality of evidence for fasting blood glucose and QUICKI was rated as "high", while the quality for fasting insulin and HOMA-IR was rated as "moderate". Probiotic intervention has been shown to significantly decrease levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR, while elevating QUICKI levels in patients with GDM, underscoring the potential utility of probiotics in the adjunctive management of GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clostridium butyricum is a butyrate-producing beneficial bacterium and is generally recognized as a significant indicator of appropriate gut microbial metabolism in human health. Objective: The synergistic effects of commercially available prebiotic partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) dietary fiber as a carbon source on a butyrate-producing bacterial strain were evaluated during in-vitro fermentation with Clostridium butyricum bacterial strain in a basal medium. Additionally, their prebiotic activities were compared to those of other dietary fibers. Methods: The examined functional dietary fiber substrates (PHGG, LMW-PHGG, indigestible dextrin, and inulin) demonstrated selective prebiotic effects on pH variation of a basal medium, leading to enhanced bacterial growth and butyrate production with Clostridium butyricum bacterial strains during in-vitro fermentation. Results: Prebiotic PHGG supplementation had the highest fermentability among dietary fibers, resulting in greater bacterial growth (OD660: 1.93 ± 0.01) of the Clostridium butyricum strain and enhanced butyrate generation (4.52 ± 2.09 mM) after cultivation in a basal medium. A significant difference in promoting bacterial growth (p ≤ 0.05), pH reduction (p < 0.05), and butyrate production (p < 0.05) compared to indigestible dextrin and inulin was observed. Mannose demonstrated the strongest butyrogenic effect and improved fermentability on the Clostridium butyricum, among the studied prebiotic monosaccharides (galactose, glucose, and starch). The order of bacterial growth and butyrate synthesis was mannose > galactose > glucose > starch. The PHGG with a relatively lower molecular weight (LMW-PHGG) exhibited the improved bacterial growth of Clostridium butyricum and demonstrated the highest butyrate production after cultivation in a basal medium. A similar trend was observed when Clostridium butyricum was cultivated in-vitro using PHGG-supplemented artificial intestinal fluid containing MRS-agar medium. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the symbiotic combination of prebiotic PHGG and probiotic Clostridium butyricum could have major industrial applications as a therapeutic adjuvant for improved gastrointestinal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional interventions to reduce gastrointestinal (GI) permeability are of significant interest to physically active adults and those experiencing chronic health conditions. This in vitro study was designed to assess the impact of AG1, a novel synbiotic, on GI permeability following an inflammatory challenge. Interventions [AG1 (vitamins/minerals, pre-/probiotics, and phytonutrients) and control (control medium)] were fed separately into a human GI tract model (stomach, small intestine, and colon). In the colonic phase, the GI contents were combined with fecal inocula from three healthy human donors. GI permeability was evaluated with transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in a Caco-2 (apical)/THP1-Blue™ (basolateral) co-culture model. The apical side received sodium butyrate (positive control) or Caco-2 complete medium (negative control) during baseline testing. In the 24 h experiment, the apical side received colonic simulation isolates from the GI model, and the basolateral side was treated with Caco-2 complete medium, then 6 h treatment with lipopolysaccharide. TEER was assessed at 0 h and 24 h, and inflammatory markers were measured at 30 h in triplicate. Paired samples t-tests were used to evaluate endpoint mean difference (MD) for AG1 vs. control. TEER was higher for AG1 (mean ± SD: 99.89 ± 1.32%) vs. control (mean ± SD: 92.87 ± 1.22%) following activated THP1-induced damage [MD: 7.0% (p < 0.05)]. AG1 maintained TEER similar to the level of the negative control [−0.1% (p = 0.02)]. No differences in inflammatory markers were observed. These in vitro data suggest that acute supplementation with AG1 might stimulate protective effects on GI permeability. These changes may be driven by SCFA production due to the pre-/probiotic properties of AG1, but more research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder with gut microbiota imbalance playing a significant role. There are increasing numbers of research studies exploring treatment options involving probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), but it is still uncertain which treatment option is superior. The research was conducted on various databases and unpublished trial data (up to February 2023). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were screened for adult patients with IBS comparing interventions with placebo. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and FMT were assessed for their impact using mean difference and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Out of 6528 articles, 54 were included for probiotics, 7 for prebiotics/synbiotics, and 6 for FMT. Probiotics showed improvement in IBS symptoms, particularly with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains. Prebiotics and synbiotics did not show significant improvement. Network meta-analysis indicated the favorable effects of probiotics (OR = 0.53, 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.59) and FMT (OR = 0.46, 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.64) on IBS, with no serious adverse events reported. In short, probiotics and FMT are effective for managing IBS, with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus being dominant strains. However, the most effective probiotic combination or strain remains unclear, while prebiotics and synbiotics did not show significant improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphophallus muelleri BI was included in the Araceae family, which is a type of tuber. It is a tuber with high potential due to its abundant bioactive compounds. Amorphophallus muelleri BI flour (AF) contains a high glucomannan and carbon compounds that serve as nutrients for probiotic bacteria. Although Amorphophallus muelleri BI thrives in Indonesia, its utilization rate in the country remains relatively low and haven't been any studies conducted regarding synbiotic powder from AF. The primary objective of this research is to develop a synergistic beverage enriched with varying concentrations of Amorphophallus muelleri BI as a prebiotic and LA as probiotic (synbiotic). The process starts with culture preparation, synbiotic drink process, synbiotic and microencapsulation, includes the examination of solubility, proximate analysis, calorie content, viability, and shelf life. Results showed that the proximate and solubility had no significant effect. Synbiotic drink powder from AF can be produced using spray dry technology. The highest LA growth was observed when augmenting the AF quantity at a 0.4% concentration, which can be seen from the viability parameter with a value of 7.29 log CFU/g. Samples shelf life at −21 and 3 °C with LA viability critical parameter was determined to be 4 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have discussed the preferred activity of synbiotics, which are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics. This study formulates a novel synbiotic that includes Chinese traditional herbs and evaluates its immunomodulatory function. Purpose: This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of synbiotics on immune function using a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mouse model. Study design: A literature-based approach was used to selectively identify medicinal herbs with immunomodulatory properties. Commercially available probiotics were used to investigate the immunomodulatory functions and potential mechanisms associated with the combination of Chinese medicinal herbs and prebiotics as carbon substrates. Methods: The immunomodulatory effect of the synbiotic will be assessed by measuring indicators such as body weight, organ index, immunoglobulins, cytokines, splenic lymphocyte proliferation status, NK cell cytotoxicity and gut microbiota. Results: Our results demonstrated that the synbiotic significantly restored the decreased thymus index and the increased spleen index induced by immune deficiency in mice. Among them, the formula of the synbiotics significantly improves the thymus organ index of immune organs from 0.068 to 0.126, which is also significantly superior compared to other single components. Additionally, it significantly enhanced the proliferative capacity of splenic lymphocytes and the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells in immune-deficient mice. Furthermore, the synbiotics enhanced the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota, rectifying the dysbiosis in gut microbial composition caused by immune deficiency. It decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes from 67.41 % to 44.06 %, while increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroidota from 30.42 % to 53.77 %. It restored the disrupted gut microbial structure induced by cyclophosphamide damage, thereby ameliorating the disrupted intestinal microbial community associated with immune deficiency. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the synbiotic was capable of modulating immune function, as evidenced by an increase in organ index, cellular immunity, and the ability to modulate intestinal flora disorders. Furthermore, the synbiotic demonstrated superior performance compared to other single components.

SUMMARY: The chicken's cellular immune response to invasion by Eimeria tenella, the cause of cecal coccidiosis, a destructive parasitic disease of poultry, generates reactive oxidative species (ROS). The antioxidant, performance, and parasitological effects of prebiotic (Sugarcane molasses), probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and synbiotic (cocktail of probiotics and prebiotics) supplementation in drinking water on cecal coccidiosis were investigated in this report. Ninety day-old broiler chicks were divided into 6 groups (A, B, C, D, E, and F), each with 15 chicks. At 21 d of age, Groups B – F were inoculated with 2.0 × 104 Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts/chick. Group A was used as negative control. The positive control Group B, was not supplemented. Throughout the experiment, Group C was given sugarcane molasses, Group D was given probiotics and Group E was given synbiotics. Group F received prophylactic amprolium treatment. Results revealed inoculated groups had significant (P < 0.05) increases in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities; 4.59 ± 3.89, 3.47 ± 0.92, 4.03 ± 1.89, 4.44 ± 1.99, 3.47 ± 1.44 U/ml in Groups B, C, D, E and F respectively compared with Group A (1.90 ± 0.21 U/ml) at 1-wk post inoculation (PI). Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration likewise increased significantly in the same groups and period. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities decreased significantly in the inoculated groups; 1,210.57 ± 29.59, 2,536.83 ± 108.82, 3,049.97 ± 86.68, 2,776.80 ± 399.69, 1,868.83 ± 45.04 U/ml in Groups B to F respectively compared with Group A (3,502.47 ± 224.35 U/ml) while catalase (CAT) activities were increased. Oocysts shed in feces were significantly increased 1-wk postinoculation in B but least in F, cecal lesion scores were similar. Feed intake declined significantly in inoculated groups especially B, alongside weight gain. Feed conversion ratio increased in the inoculated groups. The differences in the activities of the enzymes and MDA level between the supplemented groups and the positive control alongside evaluated parasitological parameters show the antioxidant effect of these supplements.

Synbiotic yogurts can offer several potential benefits due to the combination of yogurts probiotics, prebiotics, and the nutritional qualities of milk. Local yogurt variants might add to the variety of probiotic alternatives because they frequently have distinct microbial communities. Employing indigenous strains not only represents cultural preferences but also increases the probability of obtaining bacteria adapted to the surrounding environment. This study was intended to isolate and characterize potential lactic acid bacterial strains from local yogurt and assess the effectiveness of inulin on the physicochemical and microbiological properties during the fermentation of synbiotic yogurt. A total of eight strains were identified and isolated. Two chosen isolates were combined with inulin at 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 % concentrations to produce synbiotic yogurts. The physicochemical and microbiological properties were assessed during the fermentation process of synbiotic yogurts. The result showed that the isolated Lactobacillus spp. and Streptococcus spp. strains had probiotic characteristics and good growth. After the fermentation, the yogurt sample containing 1.5 % inulin had the highest count of Lactobacillus spp. (8.17 ± 0.01 log CFU/ml) and Streptococcus spp. (8.03 ± 0.03 log CFU/ml), highest optical density (2.931 ± 0.001), acidity (1.43 ± 0.03), and water-holding capacity (63.54 ± 0.51), and lowest syneresis (34.75 ± 0.48). The addition of inulin did not affect color during the fermentation of synbiotic yogurt. This study concluded that inulin could boost yogurt's stability when combined with local lactic acid bacteria strains.

ABSTRACTAlthough fecal microbiota composition is considered to preserve relevant and representative information for distal colonic content, it is evident that it does not represent microbial communities inhabiting the small intestine. Nevertheless, studies investigating the human small intestinal microbiome and its response to dietary intervention are still scarce. The current study investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of the small intestinal microbiome within a day and over 20 days, as well as its responses to a 14-day synbiotic or placebo control supplementation in 20 healthy subjects. Microbial composition and metabolome of luminal content of duodenum, jejunum, proximal ileum and feces differed significantly from each other. Additionally, differences in microbiota composition along the small intestine were most pronounced in the morning after overnight fasting, whereas differences in composition were not always measurable around noon or in the afternoon. Although overall small intestinal microbiota composition did not change significantly within 1 day and during 20 days, remarkable, individual-specific temporal dynamics were observed in individual subjects. In response to the synbiotic supplementation, only the microbial diversity in jejunum changed significantly. Increased metabolic activity of probiotic strains during intestinal passage, as assessed by metatranscriptome analysis, was not observed. Nevertheless, synbiotic supplementation led to a short-term spike in the relative abundance of genera included in the product in the small intestine approximately 2 hours post-ingestion. Collectively, small intestinal microbiota are highly dynamic. Ingested probiotic bacteria could lead to a transient spike in the relative abundance of corresponding genera and ASVs, suggesting their passage through the entire gastrointestinal tract. This study was registered to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02018900.

ABSTRACTPrecision engineering of the gut microbiome holds promise as an effective therapeutic approach for diseases associated with a disruption in this microbial community. Engrafting a live biotherapeutic product (LBP) in a predictable, controllable manner is key to the consistent success of this approach and has remained a challenge for most LBPs under development. We recently demonstrated high-level engraftment of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) in adults when co-dosed with a specific prebiotic, human milk oligosaccharides (HMO). Here, we present a cellular kinetic-pharmacodynamic approach, analogous to pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic-based analyses of small molecule- and biologic-based drugs, to establish how HMO controls expansion, abundance, and metabolic output of B. infantis in a human microbiota-based model in gnotobiotic mice. Our data demonstrate that the HMO dose controls steady-state abundance of B. infantis in the microbiome, and that B. infantis together with HMO impacts gut metabolite levels in a targeted, HMO-dependent manner. We also found that HMO creates a privileged niche for B. infantis expansion across a 5-log range of bacterial inocula. These results demonstrate remarkable control of both B. infantis levels and the microbiome community metabolic outputs using this synbiotic approach, and pave the way for precision engineering of desirable microbes and metabolites to treat a range of diseases.

IntroductionThe differential effects of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic formulations on human health are dictated by the inter-individual gut microbial profile. The effects of probiotics such as Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (ECN) on gut microbiota may vary according to the microbiome profiles of individuals and may be influenced by the presence of certain carbohydrates, which can impact microbial community structure and treatment results.MethodProcessed fecal samples from donors having contrasting lifestyles, dietary patterns, and disease histories were mixed with 5 × 106 CFU/mL ECN with or without 1% (w/v) sugars (glucose, galactose, or rice starch) in a host-free system. Post-incubation, 16 s rRNA sequencing was performed. Microbial diversity and taxonomic abundance were computed in relation to the probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic treatment effects and interpersonal microbiome variance.ResultBaseline gut microbial profiles showed significant inter-individual variations. ECN treatment alone had a limited impact on the inter-personal gut microbial diversity and abundance. Prebiotics caused a substantial enrichment in Actinobacteria, but there were differences in the responses at the order and genus levels, with enrichment shown in Bifidobacterium, Collinsella, and Megasphaera. Subject B exhibited enrichment in Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria, but subject A showed more diversified taxonomic alterations as a consequence of the synbiotic treatments. Despite negligible difference in the α-diversity, probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic treatments independently resulted in distinct segregation in microbial communities at the β-diversity level. The core microbiota was altered only under prebiotic and synbiotic treatment. Significant correlations primarily for minor phyla were identified under prebiotic and synbiotic treatment.ConclusionThe interindividual microbiome composition strongly influences the effectiveness of personalized diet and treatment plans. The responsiveness to dietary strategies varies according to individual microbiome profiles influenced by health, diet, and lifestyle. Therefore, tailored approaches that consider individual microbiome compositions are crucial for maximizing gut health and treatment results.

Background and Aim: To combat enteric infections and antibiotic resistance in the poultry industry, researchers seek alternatives such as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics as growth promoters. Synbiotics support probiotic growth through the supply of essential nutrients. The study’s objectives were to assess the most effective delivery methods for synbiotics and evaluate their growth, histomorphometric, and hematological impacts on Cobb-500 broilers. Materials and Methods: Two studies, independently conducted, employed a completely randomized design. One hundred and eighty viable eggs in the first trial were assigned to three groups: Control (T1), sterile water (T2), and synbiotic in sterile water (T3). On the 21st day of hatching, hatchability, day-old body weights, and ileum samples for histomorphometric analysis were recorded. In the second trial, out of 500 viable eggs, 200 eggs were fed in ovo with synbiotics (PoultryStar® sol, Biomin Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore) on 17.5 days and 300 were set aside without in ovo injection. The treatments were control (T1), in water synbiotic (T2), in ovo synbiotic (T3), combination of in ovo synbiotic and synbiotic in feed (T4), and synbiotic in feed only (T5). On 21 and 42 days, blood, ileum, and visceral organ samples were collected for laboratory analysis. Data on weight gain, daily feed intake, and water consumption were recorded for 42 days. Results: The initial experiment’s results revealed a decrease in hatchability, slight weight increase, and significant intestinal morphological changes with the use of an in ovo synbiotic. Applying synbiotic through various methods in the second trial yielded better growth results, lower blood cholesterol, and significantly longer (p < 0.05) villi on 21 days. Conclusion: Using the in ovo method to administer synbiotics lowered hatchability. Use of synbiotics with any method or in combination enhances growth, ileum structure, dressing yield, feed efficiency, and cholesterol levels in blood. Synbiotics enhance gut health and overall performance in broilers when used through diverse approaches.