Carvacrol is a natural phenolic compound found in essential oils of Lamiaceae species. In the present study, an attempt has been made to elucidate the mechanism behind the anti-cancer potential of carvacrol on human gastric adenocarcinomas (AGS) by comparing its effects on cancer cells AGS to those on normal human fibroblast (WS-1) cells, in vitro. Cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, glutathione (GSH) levels, genotoxicity, and apoptotic effects of carvacrol (0-600 µM) were studied in both cell lines. Additionally, the effect of high dose carvacrol (100 mg/kg BW) on the oxidative status was investigated in vivo. For this purpose, carvacrol was administered orally to male Wistar rats over a period of 60 days. Rats were weighed regularly. At the end of the experiment, rats were euthanized. Blood and stomach tissues were collected for biochemical and pathological examinations. The in vitro results showed significant differences in cell viability of AGS compared to WS-1 cells exposed to carvacrol. Also the extent of ROS generation, GSH reduction and DNA damage differed significantly between the cell lines studied (P ≤ 0.001). The differences observed were statistically significant at all concentrations applied (P ≤ 0.001). The results found in AGS cells were mirrored in the pathohistological findings obtained from animals of the in vivo experimental group. Changes in body weight, and oxidative stress index for plasma and stomach tissues of animals in this group were found to differ statistically significant from those found in the control group of Wistar rats (P ≤ 0.001). The data obtained from our present study uncovered that carvacrol has the potential to cause toxic effects in both, AGS and WS-1 cells but more effectively in cancer cells than in normal cells. The carvacrol-mediated responses observed in the in vitro and in vivo experiments presented suggest a double-edged pro-oxidative effect. Via this mechanism carvacrol induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner in both cancer and normal cells and these activities were higher in cancer cells than those of normal cells.

Carvacrol is a dietary polyphenol from Lamiaceae plants that has been shown to possess a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant and antitumor effects. This study aimed to investigate its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) induced gastric carcinogenesis in Wistar rats. Forty-nine rats were randomly assigned to four treatment and three control groups. Over 60 days, MNNG (200 mg/kg BW) was orally applied to animals of groups 1–5 while the rats in groups 2–5 also received different doses of carvacrol (10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW, respectively) until the end of the experiment. Group 6 rats were treated with 100 mg/kg BW carvacrol and no MNNG whereas group 7 was the control group without any treatment. After the euthanasia of all rats, the inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress parameters were assessed in the blood and tissues. The expression of caspase 9, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins in the stomach tissues were investigated through histopathological examinations. Statistically significant differences were observed in the body weight, oxidative stress, and inflammation parameters of groups 1 to 6 compared to group 7 (p ≤ 0.001). Animals in MNNG groups 2 and 3 treated with the low dose carvacrol (10 and 25 mg/kg BW) showed significantly reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic effect compared to animals of the MNNG groups receiving increased doses of carvacrol (50 and 100 mg/kg BW) or no carvacrol. Rats exposed to MNNG exhibited gastric cancer cells in several areas. In the MNNG group receiving 100 mg/kg BW carvacrol, the inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in gastric mucosal and submucosal areas whereas MNNG rats supplemented with 10 and 25 mg/kg BW carvacrol showed no pathological alterations of the gastric cells. The results of this study indicate that significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects induced by carvacrol at doses of 10 and 25 mg/kg BW interfered with gastric carcinogenesis induced by MNNG in Wistar rats as well as provide hepatoprotection. However, high doses of carvacrol (50 and 100 mg/kg BW) increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

Yogurt has an important role in our nutrition but also has a therapeutic role in the protection and development of health (6). Yogurt is briefly defined as a clot formed by fermentation and precipitation of milk proteins (7). Yogurt is traditionally produced by fermentation of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus starter culture (8). Most of the classic ABSTRACT Objective: This study was performed with the aim of determining the effects of different levels of cinnamon which were added to probiotic yogurts on the microbiological, chemical and sensory properties of these yogurts. Methods: In this study, probiotic yogurt was produced using yogurt and probiotic yogurt cultures. Yogurts are divided into four groups; control, cinnamon 1, cinnamon 2 and cinnamon 3 groups. To the groups, 0%, 0.3%, 1% and 2.5% of powdered cinnamon were added, respectively. Content analysis of cinnamon used in the study was conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Results: The addition of cinnamon to probiotic yogurt showed antibacterial activity on Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis while cinnamon depending on its concentration was found to support bacterial growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The pH values and the fat-free dry matter ratios varied depending on the proportion of cinnamon added to the yogurts. When the sensory characteristics of yogurt were compared, the score of the control group was higher than the score of cinnamon groups. On the other hand, cinnamon (1%) group had the closest score to the sensory analysis score of the control group. Conclusion: These results have shown that cinnamon added at different ratios in probiotic yogurt has a limited positive effect on the microbial, chemical and sensory properties of this food.

Novel functional food products might be an easy accessible and eligible approach to help reduce the risk of severe viral infections including SARS-CoV-2. Hence a product containing probiotics, propolis and cinnamon was developed and interferences of the ingredients were characterized. Yogurts were prepared using starter cultures with propolis (0.03%) and cinnamon in various concentrations (0.3%, 1%, and 2.5%). Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were used as microorganisms for yogurt production. Chemical analysis revealed a decline of fat matter in the presence of propolis and/or cinnamon. Propolis had statistically significant suppressive effects on Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis as well as on Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus numbers (p < 0.05). These effects were diminished in the presence of increasing cinnamon concentrations. For Lactobacillus acidophilus a statistically significant reducing effect on the number of colonies was observed in all products investigated. Nevertheless all samples met the standard of recommended level of ≥ 106 viable cells/g of a product. Propolis showed an inverse effect on Streptococcus thermophilus by increasing its colony numbers in yogurts. The probiotic yogurt samples containing propolis (0.03%) and cinnamon (2.5%) gained the highest number of points in the sensory evaluation compared to control.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is an aromatic bud has antioxidant, antifungal, antiviral, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anesthetic, analgesic and insect repellent effects. Propolis is a sticky resinous material with same properties like clove. Therefore, the aim of this study was to produce probiotic yoghurts added propolis (0.03%) and clove in different concentrations (0.1%, 0.3% and 1.0%). Five different probiotic yoghurts were produced, and analyzed for their microbiological, chemical and sensory properties. Microbiological analyzes of probiotic yoghurts were carried out according to IDF and ISO standards. Their chemical and sensory analysis were performed according to Turkish Standards Data were analyzed by SPSS. Propolis showed antibacterial effect except S. thermophilus while clove improve the development of bacteria especially Bifidobacterium. The titratable acidity of all groups was increased while their pH value was decreased. Propolis showed antibacterial effect except S. thermophilus while clove improved the development of bacteria especially Bifidobacterium. Clove and propolis together changed the microbiological, chemical and sensory properties of probiotic yoghurts while probiotic yoghurt with propolis got the lowest score according to sensory properties.

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Metabolik sendrom çağımızın önemli bir sağlık sorunu olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Hareketsiz bir yaşamın benimsenmesi, yüksek kalorili ve sağlıksız bir beslenme biçiminin uygulanması metabolik sendrom görülme olasılığını arttırmaktadır. Metabolik sendromun görülme yüzdeliği kentsel ve kırsal kesimlere göre değişiklik göstermektedir. Metabolik sendromu etkileyen ana unsur yaşam tarzının nasıl olduğudur. Metabolik sendrom tanısının koyulabilmesi için tanı kriterleri çeşitli kuruluşlar tarafından belirlenmiştir. Metabolik sendrom; diyabet, kardiyovasküler hastalıklar ve obezitenin birleşiminden oluşan bir rahatsızlıktır. Obezite, hipertansiyon, dislipidemi, insülin direnci veya tip 2 diyabet bu bileşenlerden sayılmaktadır. Fiziksel aktivite insülin aktivitesinin kontrolünün sağlanması, kardiyovasküler hastalık riskinin azalması ve kilo kontrolünün sağlanmasında oldukça önemlidir. Hastalıktan korunmanın ve tedavinin etkin yolu obez bireylerde kilo veriminin sağlanması, gerekli egzersiz ve diyet uygulamalarının yapılmasıdır. Uygun ve yeterli fiziksel aktivitelerin yapılması metabolik sendromun bileşenlerinin görülme ve tedavi edilmesinde olumlu sonuçlar verdiği çeşitli çalışmalarla kanıtlanmıştır.