Short term supplementation with cranberry extract modulates gut microbiota in human and displays a bifidogenic effect

Abstract

Cranberry is associated with multiple health benefits, which are mostly attributed to its high content of (poly)phenols, particularly flavan-3-ols. However, clinical trials attempting to demonstrate these positive effects have yielded heterogeneous results, partly due to the high inter-individual variability associated with gut microbiota interaction with these molecules. In fact, several studies have demonstrated the ability of these molecules to modulate the gut microbiota in animal and in vitro models, but there is a scarcity of information in human subjects. In addition, it has been recently reported that cranberry also contains high concentrations of oligosaccharides, which could contribute to its bioactivity. Hence, the aim of this study was to fully characterize the (poly)phenolic and oligosaccharidic contents of a commercially available cranberry extract and evaluate its capacity to positively modulate the gut microbiota of 28 human subjects. After only four days, the (poly)phenols and oligosaccharides-rich cranberry extract, induced a strong bifidogenic effect, along with an increase in the abundance of several butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Clostridium and Anaerobutyricum. Plasmatic and fecal short-chain fatty acids profiles were also altered by the cranberry extract with a decrease in acetate ratio and an increase in butyrate ratio. Finally, to characterize the inter-individual variability, we stratified the participants according to the alterations observed in the fecal microbiota following supplementation. Interestingly, individuals having a microbiota characterized by the presence of Prevotella benefited from an increase in Faecalibacterium with the cranberry extract supplementation.

Aspirin eugenol ester affects ileal barrier function, inflammatory response and microbiota in broilers under lipopolysaccharide-induced immune stress conditions

“…Ruminococcaceae can break down plant cellulose and other complex carbohydrates and produces short-chain fatty acids, such as butyric acid and acetic acid, which are essential for maintaining gut health ( 102 ). Faecalibacterium plays an important role in promoting intestinal barrier function and inhibiting inflammation ( 103 ). Taken as a whole, the results of these experiments demonstrate that the addition of AEE can improve the intestinal bacterial composition of broilers, thereby contributing to the improvement of digestion, absorption and immune function.…”

Supplementation with a cranberry extract favors the establishment of butyrogenic guilds in the human fermentation SHIME system

“…The TWIN-M-SHIME® simulates the microbial ecosystems of the human large intestine [27] . The first vessel replicated the stomach and the small intestine according to a fill-and-draw principle with the delivery of nutritional medium and pancreatic/bile juices, followed by vessels representing two repetitions of the ascending and transverse colon [Figure 1A] with fixed volumes.…”

“…The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of cranberry extract on the gut microbiota of six healthy individuals, utilizing the artificial fermentation system TWIN-M-SHIME. This is an established in vitro system able to simulate the microbial ecosystem of the human gut dynamically operating two systems in parallel at the same time, remaining faithful to the original donor's microbiota [27] . The system also included a simulated intestinal interface providing mucus-associated microbiotas mimicking mucosal microbial colonization.…”

Harnessing the Power of Polyphenols: A New Frontier in Disease Prevention and Therapy

“…The extent of flavonoid metabolites’ presence in the intestines is yet to be fully understood. Therefore, understanding how gut microbes affect flavonoid distribution and bioactivity in food is crucial [ 35 , 36 ].…”