Oxidative stress plays a key role in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD), which may be aggravated by concomitant PD-associated gut dysbiosis. Probiotics and prebiotics are therapeutically relevant to these conditions due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiome modulation properties. However, the mechanisms by which probiotic/prebiotic supplementation affects antioxidant capacity and the gut microbiome in PD remains poorly characterized. In this study, we assessed the effects of a Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32 probiotic, a prebiotic (dried AP-32 culture medium supernatant), and a probiotic/prebiotic cocktail in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD. The neuroprotective effects and levels of oxidative stress were evaluated after eight weeks of daily supplementation. Fecal microbiota composition was analyzed by fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The supplements were associated with direct increases in host antioxidant enzyme activities and short-chain fatty acid production, protected dopaminergic neurons, and improved motor functions. The supplements also altered the fecal microbiota composition, and some specifically enriched commensal taxa correlated positively with superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activity, indicating supplementation also promotes antioxidant activity via an indirect pathway. Therefore, L. salivarius AP-32 supplementation enhanced the activity of host antioxidant enzymes via direct and indirect modes of action in rats with 6-OHDA-induced PD.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with progressive impairment of motor and non-motor functions in aging people. Overwhelming evidence indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction is a central factor in PD pathophysiology, which impairs energy metabolism. While, several other studies have shown probiotic supplementations to improve host energy metabolism, alleviate the disease progression, prevent gut microbiota dysbiosis and alter commensal bacterial metabolites. But, whether probiotic and/or prebiotic supplementation can affect energy metabolism and cause the impediment of PD progression remains poorly characterized. Therefore, we investigated 8-weeks supplementation effects of probiotic [Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32 (AP-32)], residual medium (RM) obtained from the AP-32 culture medium, and combination of AP-32 and RM (A-RM) on unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD rats. We found that AP-32, RM and A-RM supplementation induced neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons along with improved motor functions in PD rats. These effects were accompanied by significant increases in mitochondrial activities in the brain and muscle, antioxidative enzymes level in serum, and altered SCFAs profile in fecal samples. Importantly, the AP-32 supplement restored muscle mass along with improved motor function in PD rats, and produced the best results among the supplements. Our results demonstrate that probiotic AP-32 and A-RM supplementations can recover energy metabolism via increasing SCFAs producing and mitochondria function. This restoring of mitochondrial function in the brain and muscles with improved energy metabolism might additionally be potentiated by ROS suppression by the elevated generation of antioxidants, and which finally leads to facilitated recovery of 6-OHDA-induced motor deficit. Taken together, this work demonstrates that probiotic AP-32 supplementation could be a potential candidate for alternate treatment strategy to avert PD progression.

Purpose The study aims to investigate the potency of fermented rice bran extract as anti-hypercholesterolemia product by looking at its effect on lipid profile levels and blood glucose levels in dyslipidemia model rats. Design/methodology/approach Rice bran was fermented using Rhizopus oligosporus-contained tempeh mold extracted using distilled water. Twenty-four Sprague Dawley rats were divided into a control group and hypercholesterolemia groups. Hypercholesterolemia, also known as dyslipidemia, was induced with fructose-supplemented high-fat diet. Rats induced with dyslipidemia received three different fermented rice bran extract doses, 0 (negative) 1102.5 mg/kgBW/day (FRBE 1) and 2205 mg/kgBW/day (FRBE 2). Blood was collected before and after four weeks of treatment for lipid profile and blood glucose analysis. Findings FRBE 2 had significantly lower total cholesterol (101.6 ± 3.3 vs 187.6 ± 3.7 mg/dL), triglyceride (83.3 ± 2.8 vs 130.7 ± 3.4 mg/dL) and LDL level (27.9 ± 1.7 vs 76.7 ± 1.5 mg/dL) but higher HDL level (64.1 ± 3.0 vs 25.5 ± 1.2 mg/dL) compared to the negative group (p < 0.001). Provision of fermented rice bran showed dose-response relationship in all blood lipid markers. Originality/value This study was the first to investigate the effectivity of Rhizopus sp.-fermented rice bran extract to improve glucose and lipid profile.

Oxidative stress and gut dysbiosis have been known to precede Parkinson’s disease (PD). An antioxidant-rich product, mangosteen pericarp (MP), has the ability to counterbalance excessive free radicals and the imbalanced gut microbiota composition, suggesting the MP’s capacity to delay PD progression. In this study, we explored the effects of two doses of MP extract in a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD rat model. We revealed that the 8-week supplementation of a low dose (LMP) and a high dose of the MP extract (HMP) improved motor function, as observed in decreased contralateral rotation, improved time spent on rod, and higher dopamine binding transporter (DAT) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). The MP extract, especially the HMP, also increased antioxidant-related gene expressions, restored muscle mitochondrial function, and remodeled fecal microbiota composition, which were followed by reduced reactive oxygen species levels in brain and inflammation in plasma. Importantly, bacterial genera Sutterella, Rothia, and Aggregatibacter, which were negatively correlated with antioxidant gene expressions, decreased in the HMP group. It is imperative to note that in addition to directly acting as an antioxidant to reduce excessive free radicals, MP extract might also increase antioxidant state by rebuilding gut microbiota, thereby enhanced anti-inflammatory capacity and restored mitochondrial function to attenuate motor deficit in 6-OHDA-induced PD-like condition. All in all, MP extract is a potential candidate for auxiliary therapy for PD.

Chronic stress disturbs the equilibrium of oxidant-antioxidant redox in the human body which accelerates cellular aging lead to promotes earlier onset of age-related diseases. To against the chronic stress human body needs exogenous antioxidant. Syzygium cumini (L.) has high antioxidant activity due to it's high anthocyanin content. Therefore, this plant is potential to develop as a natural antioxidant. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of S. cumini (L.) pulp on blood pressure and malondialdehyde (MDA) level of rats induced by restraint stress. Twenty male Wistar rats were used in this study which divided into 4 groups with 5 rats in each group i.e. normal control, negative control and 2 treatment groups which given ethanol extract of S. cumini (L.) pulp at doses of 100 and 200 mg/g body weight (BW), respectively. Restraint stress was carried out by placing the rats in restraint rat for 30 minutes daily for 7 days. Blood pressure was measured before and after the treatment while MDA level was measured after the treatment. One-Way ANOVA was used to analyze the data. The results showed that induction of the restraint stress significantly increased blood pressure of the rats (p<0.001). The administration of ethanol extract of S. cumini (L.) pulp significantly prevented the increase in blood pressure of chronic restraint stress rats (p<0.001). Furthermore, the MDA level of the treatment groups was significantly lower than that of negative control (p<0.05) indicating that ethanol extract of S. cumini (L.) pulp could prevent the increase in the MDA level. In conclusion, administration of ethanol extract of S. cumini (L.) pulp can prevent the increase in blood pressure and MDA level of chronic restraint stress rats. ABSTRAKStres kronik mengganggu keseimbangan senyawa oksidan-antioksidan yang memicu penuaan selular dan menyebabkan timbulnya penyakit yang berkaitan dengan penuaan lebih awal. Untuk melawan stress kronis tubuh memerlukan antioksidan oksidan. Syzygium cumini (L.) mempunyai aktivitas antioksidan yag tinggi karena kandungan antsianinya. Oleh Karena itu, tanaman ini potensial untuk dikembangkan sebagai antioksidan alami. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengkaji efek ekstrak etanol bubur S. cumini (L) terhadap tekanan darah dan kadar malondialdehid (MDA) tikus yang diinduksi stres dengan dikekang. Duapuluh tikus jantan Wistar digunakan dalam penelitian ini dibagi menjadi 4 kelompok