Scope: Chronic constipation is a common gastrointestinal condition associated with intestinal inflammation and considerably impaired quality of life, affecting about 20% of Americans. Dietary fiber and laxatives aid in its treatment but do not fully address all symptoms, such as intestinal inflammation. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), a fiber-and polyphenol-rich fruit may provide anti-inflammatory effects in constipation. Methods and results: The 4 week consumption of mango fruit (300 g) or the equivalent amount of fiber is investigated in otherwise healthy human volunteers with chronic constipation who are randomly assigned to either group. Blood and fecal samples and digestive wellness questionnaires are collected at the beginning and end of the study. Results show that mango consumption significantly improve constipation status (stool frequency, consistency, and shape) and increase gastrin levels and fecal concentrations of short chain fatty acid (valeric acid) while lowering endotoxin and interleukin 6 concentrations in plasma. Conclusion: In this pilot study, the consumption of mango improves symptoms and associated biomarkers of constipation beyond an equivalent amount of fiber. Larger follow-up studies would need to investigate biomarkers for intestinal inflammation in more detail.

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Scope This human clinical pilot trial investigated pharmacokinetics of gallotannin‐metabolites and modulation of intestinal microbiota in healthy lean and obese individuals after 6 weeks of daily mango consumption. Methods and results Participants are divided into three groups: Lean Mango (LM: n = 12; BMI = 22.9 kg m−2), Obese Mango (OM: n = 9; BMI = 34.6 kg m−2), and Lean Control (LC: n = 11; BMI = 22.1 kg m−2). LM and OM consumed 400 g of mango per day for 6 weeks. LC consumed mango only on Days 0 and 42. After 6 weeks, LM experienced increased systemic exposure (AUC0–8h) to gallotannin‐metabolites, 1.4‐fold (p = 0.043). The greatest increase is 4‐O‐methyl‐gallic acid, 3.3‐fold (p = 0.0026). Cumulative urinary excretion of gallotannin‐metabolites significantly increased in LM and OM, but not LC. For OM, qPCR data show increased levels of tannase‐producing Lactococcus lactis and decreased levels of Clostridium leptum and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, bacteria associated with obesity. LM experienced an increased trend of fecal levels of butyric (1.3‐fold; p = 0.09) and valeric acids (1.5‐fold; p = 0.056). Plasma endotoxins showed a decreased trend in LM and OM. Conclusion Continuous mango intake significantly increased systemic exposure to gallotannin‐ metabolites and induced an increased trend for fecal short‐chain fatty acids in lean but not obese individuals. This pharmacokinetic discrepancy may result in BMI‐associated reduced gallotannin‐derived health benefits.

Scope: Intestinal microbial metabolites from gallotannins (GT), including gallic acid (GA) and pyrogallol (PG), may possess potential anti-obesogenic properties. Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) found in the intestinal microbiome encodes for enzymatic activities that metabolize GT into GA and PG. Anti-obesogenic activities of orally administered GT in the presence or absence of L. plantarum is examined in gnotobiotic mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods and results: Germ-free (GF) C57BL/6J mice are divided into three groups, GF control, GF gavaged with GT, and mice colonized with L. plantarum and gavaged with GT. Compared to the control, GT decreases the expressions of lipogenic genes (e.g., fatty acid synthase (FAS)) in epididymal white adipose tissue and increases thermogenic genes (e.g., nuclear factor erythroid-2-like 1 (Nfe2l1)) in interscapular brown adipose tissue. Intestinal colonization with L. plantarum enhances these effects, and mice colonized with L. plantarum exhibit lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), leptin and plasma insulin. Conclusions: Results indicate that GT and L. plantarum reduce HFD-induced inflammation, insulin resistance, and promote thermogenesis in adipose tissue potentially through the activity of GT-metabolizing bacterial enzymes yielding absorbable bioactive GT metabolites. These findings imply the potential role of prebiotic-probiotic interactions in the prevention of diet-induced metabolic disorders.

Microbiota composition of the colon microbiome influences polyphenol metabolism.

The effect of tannase on gallic acid (GA) bioaccessibility and auto-oxidative browning of mango juice was investigated. After 2 h of simulated gastric digestion, the concentration of bioaccessible GA increased (P < 0.05) 94.3 AE 7.0% in juice treated with 0.5 U mL À1 tannase while juice not treated with tannase had only a 6.3 AE 3.4% increase in GA. During 2-10 h of simulated intestinal digestion, tannase treated juice continued to have a higher concentration (P < 0.05) of bioaccessible GA in comparison to juice that was not treated with tannase. The use of 167 U 100 mL À1 tannase while processing mango juice did not result in any differences (P < 0.05) in browning measured at 420 nm, yet there was significantly higher (P < 0.05) GA in mango juice post-storage. Processing mango juice with tannase can help improve the bioaccessibility of mango polyphenols without hindering the quality of juice during storage.

Objectives The microbiome plays a major role in polyphenol metabolism, producing metabolites that are bioavailable and potentially more bioactive than the polyphenol compounds from which they are derived. A consequence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is a ‘dysbiotic’ microbiome characterized by decreased species diversity, which may impact an individual's capability to metabolize polyphenols into bioavailable metabolites. The objective was to compare the microbial metabolism of cranberry polyphenols between fecal donors that were healthy or had moderate to severe UC to determine if dysbiosis effects polyphenol metabolism. Methods Fecal samples were donated by volunteers with or without moderate to severe UC (n = 9). Fecal samples were cultured anaerobically within 2 hours of defecation in the presence of A and B type proanthocyanidins, flavonols and anthocyanins extracted from cranberry powder. Aliquots were taken at 5 different time points over a 48-hour period and the resulting polyphenol metabolites were quantified via LC-ESI-MS/MS using SRM and authentic standards. 16S rRNA metagenomics analysis was also utilized to assess changes in the composition of the fecal microbiota. Results After 6 hours, healthy individuals produced 2.50, 20.1 and 5.25-fold higher (P &lt; 0.05) concentrations of 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 3’,4’-dihydroxyphenyl-gamma-valerolactone, respectively. Healthy individuals continued to have significantly higher concentrations of these metabolites over the 48-hour period. UC microbiomes did not produce 3-hydroxyphenylacetic until after 48 hours, suggesting that the microbiome of those with UC may have significantly lower de-hydroxylase activity. Healthy microbiomes contained higher (P &lt; 0.05) proportions of Ruminococcaceae, which could explain their ability to produce higher concentrations of cranberry polyphenol metabolites. Conclusions The microbiome of individuals with UC produces significantly lower cranberry polyphenol metabolites than healthy microbiomes. These results suggest that efficiency of polyphenol metabolism is dependent on health status of the colon and polyphenols could be potential biomarkers of colon health. Funding Sources Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc, Middleborough, MA.

Objectives Obesity is considered a growing public health concern worldwide. This complex chronic disease has been linked with alterations in adipose tissue and increased pro-inflammatory molecules. Previous studies have associated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) polyphenols with antimicrobial effects anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we evaluate the impact of daily cranberry juice consumption for six weeks on the gut microbiome and inflammatory cytokines of overweight individuals. Methods A total of 45 overweight or obese (BMI 28–35 kg/m2) individuals aged 18–65 years, with a body fat percentage greater than 18% for males and 25% for females consumed 8 oz of placebo or cranberry juice twice a day for six weeks. Blood, fecal samples, intestinal health questionnaires, and food records were collected at baseline and after six weeks. Inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon γ (IFN-γ), were analyzed in serum. DNA was extracted from fecal samples to perform a 16S rRNA metagenomics analysis. Results Serum levels of TNFα were significantly decreased in the male group (p-value &lt; 0.0317), and IL-8 levels were significantly increased in the female group (p-value &lt; 0.0121) after six weeks of cranberry consumption. In contrast, cranberry consumption significantly improved constipation status after six weeks, based on the AGACHAN questionnaire. At the end of the study, significant differences were found among groups on the class Coriobacteriia, attributed to an increment in the relative abundance of unidentified Coriobacteriaceae sp. after cranberry consumption. Moreover, significant differences among groups on the Bilophila genus were detected after six weeks. This difference was accompanied by an increase in the relative abundance of unidentified Bilophila sp. on the placebo group. Conclusions A short-term supplementation of a low dose of cranberry juice showed a slight impact on the inflammatory markers and increased the abundance of some beneficial bacterial species. Results are contributing to understanding the bioactive properties of cranberry polyphenols. Funding Sources Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.