The Effect of Encapsulated Powder of Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) on Growth and Survival of Probiotic Bacteria

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to investigate the potential prebiotic action of Goji berry powder on selected probiotic bacteria grown in a nutritive synthetic substrate and in simulated gastric and intestinal juices. Different probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were grown in these substrates with or without the addition of encapsulated goji berry extracts of different polysaccharide and polyphenol contents. The results proved that the addition of the extracts promoted the proliferation of probiotic strains and, in particular, increased the number of bacterial colonies of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bb12), Bifidobacterium longum (Bb46), and Lactobacillus casei by 2, 0.26, and 1.34 (log cfu/mL), respectively. Furthermore, the prebiotic effect seems to be correlated to Goji berry polysaccharides and/or polyphenols, higher contents of which (under the tested concentrations) could increase the stress tolerance of B. lactis and B. longum in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. According to the findings of the present research, it can be suggested that the Goji berry encapsulated extracts could be used as prebiotic additives in food or nutraceuticals, in order to stimulate growth or protect the viability of probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.Microorganisms 2020, 8, 57 2 of 14 lung disorders, and anticancer activity [10][11][12], thanks to which, L. barbarum fruit has recently gained increasing popularity in Europe and North America [12].Recently Goji berries have been also positively evaluated for their prebiotic potential in foods like yogurt [13], since their polysaccharides may be selectively utilized by some probiotic bacteria [14], although a potential prebiotic effect may be also linked to other molecules like polyphenols, which may stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria in the gut, or inhibit the growth of antagonistic bacteria in the complex intestinal microbiota [15].Gut colonization by beneficial probiotic bacteria is recognized as an essential parameter for intestinal health, and human health in general. It occurs in early life, as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species attach to the gastrointestinal tract, which is necessary for establishing the gut mucosal barrier, maturation and modulation of the immune system, preventing infections by enteric pathogens and improving gastrointestinal function, digestion, and metabolism [16][17][18][19][20]. Nowadays, the presence (or supplementation) of certain probiotic bacteria, prebiotics or symbiotics (mixed preparations of probiotics and prebiotics) in the gastrointestinal tract is linked to prevention or reduced risk of ulcer, gastroenteritis, inflammation, colon cancer and metabolic syndrome (the latter involving hypolipidemic, hypocholesterolemic and potential hypoglycemic activity) as well as preterm birth and neonatal gastrointestinal disorder [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. However, gut microbiota are not stable throughout life, and significant changes can occur naturally throughout the life...

Antibacterial and fungicidal activities of ethanol extracts of 38 species of plants

“…Extracts of Genista tinctoria contributed to proliferation of probiotic strains and increased the number of bacterial colonies of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, B. longum and Lactobacillus casei (Skenderidis & Giavasis, 2019). Prebiotic effect correlates with the concentration of polysaccharides and polyphenols of G. tinctoria, the content of which can increase the stress-tolerance of B. lactis and B. longum in a modelled gastrointestinal environment.…”

“…Prebiotic effect correlates with the concentration of polysaccharides and polyphenols of G. tinctoria, the content of which can increase the stress-tolerance of B. lactis and B. longum in a modelled gastrointestinal environment. Skenderidis & Giavasis (2019) consider that encapsulated extracts from G. tinctoria could be used as prebiotic supplements for food products for stimulation of growth and increase in vitality of probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.…”

Combined Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and C-phycocyanin increase gastric Bifidobacterium relative abundance and protect against gastric ulcer caused by aspirin in rats

“…These short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal microbiota can be an energy source and decrease the luminal pH value, which is beneficial to the growth of probiotics and adverse to the growth of pathogens in the intestine [ 63 ]. An in vitro study found that LBP extract containing polysaccharides and polyphenols could be used as a source of food or nutraceuticals to help the growth of probiotics and protect the viability of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the simulated gastric and intestinal juices [ 64 ]. A previous study showed that LBP with major monosaccharides as glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, and arabinose stimulated the production of short-chain fatty acids and increased the relative abundances of genera Bifidobacterium , Bacteroides , Phascolarctobacterium , Clostridium XlVb, Prevotella , and Collinsella in vitro after 24-h fermentation of LBP by healthy human fecal microbiota [ 19 ].…”

Optimization of Vacuum Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Pomegranate Fruits Peels by the Evaluation of Extracts’ Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity

“…The TPC was expressed as gallic acid (GA), and it was calculated by using a method described by Skenderidis et al [ 32 ]. Briefly, 1.58 mL distilled water was added in 0.02 mL of each extract.…”