Cristina Bogsan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Cristina Bogsan

Chemical engineering transactions, 2019

The present study aims to develop an efficient industrial fermentation process that promotes the ... more The present study aims to develop an efficient industrial fermentation process that promotes the increase of sporulated biomass in a single batch of Bacillus coagulans BVB5. Preliminary studies of various culture media were performed in Erlenmeyer flasks for 96 hours in a shaker at 44 °C and 240 rpm, and the degree of sporulation was analyzed. The culture media tested were glucose, yeast extract, peptone based medium (GYP), GYP with salts (GYPs), glucose, yeast extract, tryptone based medium (GYT), soy protein, yeast extract, sodium chloride based medium (FNY), 50% FNY (FNY50), glucose, soy protein, potassium salts based medium (DSK) and 50% DSK (DSK50). The results had shown that the FNY50 medium obtained a higher degree of sporulation of 100% followed by FNY with 99.99%, whereas media containing relatively large amounts of glucose such as GYP, GYPs and GYT did not exhibit satisfactory sporulation. The reduction of the cost and consequent increase of the efficiency in the preparati...

Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies

The increasing of the demand for functional foods, which include those supplemented or fermented ... more The increasing of the demand for functional foods, which include those supplemented or fermented by probiotic microorganisms, resulted in the advancement of research and development of new strains. The probiotic microorganisms Bacillus spp. are attractive for the inherent stability due to their characteristic of spore-forming bacteria. Spores allow prolonged shelf life and increase the ability to survive gastric barriers, which turn out to be an advantage over lactobacilli. Two bacteria were supplied by VitaBridge Company in order to identify which strain would have the best technological performance for the development of a novel functional food with high performance in the zootechnical improvement of broilers. The characterization was performed according to the protocol which included phenotypic and genotypic tests for determining the probiotic potential of the strains. The results of the tests revealed that BVB1 possesses the best technological characteristics and can be used with efficiency in the improvement of the zootechnical performance of broilers.

PloS one, 2017

Lactobacillus probiotics have been investigated in periodontitis. However, the effects of the gen... more Lactobacillus probiotics have been investigated in periodontitis. However, the effects of the genus Bifidobacterium on periodontitis are hardly known. This study evaluated the effects of the probiotic (PROB) Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) HN019 as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in rats with experimental periodontitis (EP). At baseline, 32 rats were assigned to 4 groups: C (control), PROB, EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB. In groups EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB, the mandibular first molars of the animals received a ligature. At day 14, the ligatures were removed and SRP was performed. Animals of groups PROB and EP-SRP-PROB were orally administered with 10 mL/day of 109 colony forming units of B. lactis HN019 for 15 days, starting at day 14. Animals were euthanized at day 29. Histomorphometric, microtomographic and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Microbiological effects of B. lactis on biofilm were also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed (ANOVA,...

Clinical Nutrition, 2015

The hyperglycemia leads to increased oxidative stress, causing lipid peroxidation and imbalance i... more The hyperglycemia leads to increased oxidative stress, causing lipid peroxidation and imbalance in the immune system. To investigate the effect of Kefir - a probiotic containing different strains - on metabolic parameters, cytokines, nitric oxide (NO) production, phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages and intestinal modulation in diabetes. Wistar rats received injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg, intravenously) and diabetes was defined as glycemia ≥200 mg/dL. The animals were distributed in four groups: control (CTL); control Kefir (CTLK); diabetic (DM); diabetic Kefir (DMK). Kefir was given at 1.8 mL/day by gavage, started on the 5th day of diabetes, during 8 weeks. The animals were allocated in metabolic cages, pre and post treatment with Kefir, for measurement of the metabolic parameters, such as water intake, food intake, diuresis, glycemia, body mass, insulin and lipid profile, these last two were only measured at the end of Kefir protocol. After treatment, the animals were euthanized and the peritoneal cavity was prepared, resident macrophages were collected and cultured for analysis of the phagocytic activity, cytokines (IL-10, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-1β) and NO. The intestinal modulation was performed by the quantification of Peyer's patches (PP) in the small intestine. The data were presented as mean ± SEM, with significance of p < 0.05. DM when compared to CTL showed increase in water intake (133 ± 7 vs. 28 ± 1 mL, p < 0.0001), food intake (40 ± 2 vs. 16 ± 1 g, p < 0.0001), diuresis (102 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 1 mL, p < 0.0001) and glycemia (567 ± 12 vs. 84 ± 3 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), while in DMK group all these metabolic parameters were decreased (96 ± 14; 36 ± 1; 86 ± 7 and 407 ± 19, respectively, p < 0.0001), presenting increase of body mass (42 ± 5 vs. 16 ± 4Δ, p < 0.0001) and insulin levels (0.3 ± 0.8 vs. 0.1 ± 0.04 ng/mL, p < 0.0001) compared to DM. The lipid profile of the diabetic groups showed tendency to increase compared to the respective controls. In relation to function of peritoneal macrophages, DMK group vs. DM showed improvement in phagocytic capacity (70 ± 5 vs. 51 ± 7%, p = 0,0023) and increased concentration of all the cytokines analyzed (pg/mL), as IL-10 (926 ± 69 vs. 556 ± 92, p = 0.0004), TNF-α (178 ± 20 vs. 109 ± 20, p = 0.005), IL-17 (33 ± 1 vs. 9 ± 1, p = 0.0001) and IL-1β (102 ± 14 vs. 70 ± 5, p = 0.0129), after 24 h of LPS stimulation; including NO bioavailability after 24 h (102 ± 9 vs. 66 ± 5 μM/mL, p = 0.0029) or 48 h (143 ± 8 vs. 119 ± 4 μM/mL, p = 0.0102) of LPS stimulation. Moreover, the number of PP in the whole small intestine of DMK group was also increased as compared to DM (22 ± 1 vs. 18 ± 1, p = 0.0292). These results show that Kefir has a potential to modulate the immune response and activate peritoneal macrophages in diabetic animals, which suggests that it could enhance the immunocompetence of patients affected by diabetes mellitus. The hypoglycemic effect of this probiotic could be used as a tool to control glycemia, reducing or delaying the onset of complications associated with this disease.

The management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is still a matter of discussion, fu... more The management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is still a matter of discussion, full effectiveness is rarely achieved, and it has many adverse effects. The use of probiotics may be associated with better eradication rates and possibly prevention of adverse events due to antibiotic therapy. The present clinical study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of a specially designed fermented milk product, containing Bifidobacterium lactis B420, on the eradication of H. pylori infection in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study in humans. Four test fermented milks (FM) were specially designed in which counts of viable cells in all products were 1010 Log CFU. 100 mL-1 for Bifidobacterium lactis - Bifidobacterium species 420. 190 subjects infected with H. pylori, with previous diagnosis of functional dyspepsia according to Rome III criteria entered the study. Bifidobacterium lactis B420, administered twice a day for 90 days was not able to eradicate H. py...

The health benefits offered by probiotic fermented milks can be increased by adding native fruit ... more The health benefits offered by probiotic fermented milks can be increased by adding native fruit pulps. Red fruits contain ellagic acid (EA) and ellagitannins, interesting substances due to their powerful antioxidant properties and other beneficial biological activities, such as cardio protective effects, selective growth inhibition of human pathogenic bacteria, α-amylase inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme, and proliferative activities against several different cancer cells. This study aimed to improve the physical properties of symbiotic yoghurts through their supplementation with a mixture of red berry pulps: strawberry, raspberry and "pitanga". The simplex-centroid design was used for mixture modelling. The design included seven batches/trials: three supplemented with each type of fruit pulp, three corresponding to the binary mixtures and one supplemented with the combination of the three pulps. A control experiment was prepared without addition of fruit pulp. Processed milk bases were fermented at 42 °C until pH 4.7 by using a starter culture blend that consisted of Streptococcus thermophilus (TA040), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (LB340) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA140). Subsequently, milk base (80 %) was blended with a pulp preparation (20 %) and other ingredients according to the experimental design. Physicochemical analyses, enumeration of viable bacteria, colour and rheological characteristics of the yoghurts were evaluated 36 h after preparation and 21 days after cold storage. Three regression models were adjusted to the results (linear, quadratic and cubic special). The results showed that the addition of a mixture of red fruit pulps affected pH and counts of probiotic bacteria, which slightly decrease during storage. Addition of the three red berry pulps simultaneously enhanced the colour and rheological properties of probiotic yoghurts when compared to the control. It was possible to estimate the optimum mixture compositions of the three fruit pulps that increase EA contents in probiotic yoghurts.

Functional foods are important sources of probiotic delivery, mainly by fermented milk products. ... more Functional foods are important sources of probiotic delivery, mainly by fermented milk products. The physiological benefits attributed to bifido bacteria are their abilities to interfere with the adhesion of pathogenic species to surfaces of intestinal cells, and to enhance the host's immune function through their metabolic activities. However, the effects of a technological approachfermentation or addition of probiotic in milk, and its efficacy in health are rarely taken into consideration. Hence, fermented or unfermented milk using Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 were administered to BALB/c mice for 14 days. After that, the architecture of the gut was histologically investigated, and the related immune cells were examined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Increase in mucus and cellularity production, changes in immune pattern and preservation of mucosal epithelia in health BALB/c mice were observed only in the fermented milk group. This suggested that changes in functionality of bifidobacteria and/or the metabolites produced by the fermentation process are the keys to improving beneficial effects in the host of the gut mucosa.

ABSTRACT Development of dairy products containing bifido bacteria is one of the main focuses in t... more ABSTRACT Development of dairy products containing bifido bacteria is one of the main focuses in the food industry, considering the health benefits attributed to its survival through gut intestinal tract and the liberation of biogenic compounds. In order to evaluate the effect of process conditions on survival of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis HN019 and release of biogenic compounds during cold storage two technological processes were employed: (i) addition of Probiotic (unfermented bifido milk; UFBM) and (ii) fermentation (fermented bifido milk; FBM). B. Lactis HN019 counts were stable only in fermented milks during seven weeks of cold storage. Moreover, dairy matrices associated with cold storage appeared to protect bifidobacteria during exposition to gastric conditions, assuring the correct Probiotic counts at gut entrance. The distribution of fatty acids was affected by the different Probiotic products. In contrast, fermentation process increased the relative contents of some bioactive fatty acids, such as elaidic acid (+11%) and conjugated linoleic acids (+20%). It was also noted an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids in the FBM and a higher relative content of monounsaturated fatty acids in the UFBM, as compared to control milk. In addition, fermentation process by bifido bacteria enhanced the long chain fatty acids fraction in bifido milks as compared to control and unfermented bifido milks. Control milk and unfermented bifido milk showed the same peptides even after seven days of storage in contrast with fermented milks that had increase bioactive peptides. It is possible to suggest that opioid peptides are formed during fermentation process, increasing the source of bioactive peptides. Finally, the cold conservation process modified peptides and could improve antibacterial activity.

ABSTRACT Vegetal oil emulsion and passion fruit peel powder were concomitantly incorporated to mi... more ABSTRACT Vegetal oil emulsion and passion fruit peel powder were concomitantly incorporated to milk aiming to produce new functional yoghurt with health benefits. Four milk bases with similar energetic content and macronutrient composition, enriched or not with vegetal oil emulsion and/or passion fruit peel powder, were fermented with Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bifidobacterium species 420) to supply yoghurts with similar appearance, flavor, and stability. Milk without supplementation was used as control. Applying hedonic scale and projective map approaches, respectively, 227 and 25 panellists analysed the samples concerning flavor, texture-in-spoon, creaminess-in-mouth, and global impression. Instrumental firmness was also investigated. Considering the same fermentation temperature, the addition of vegetal-oil emulsion and passion fruit peel-powder did not influence fermentation time, but significantly affected instrumental firmness. Despite the observed differences in flavor and global impression there were no significant changes in consumers' overall liking between supplemented and conventional yoghurts.

Nitric Oxide, 2014

This study aimed at assessing the effects of Kefir, a probiotic fermented milk, on oxidative stre... more This study aimed at assessing the effects of Kefir, a probiotic fermented milk, on oxidative stress in diabetic animals. The induction of diabetes was achieved in adult male Wistar rats using streptozotocin (STZ). The animals were distributed into four groups as follows: control (CTL); control Kefir (CTLK); diabetic (DM) and diabetic Kefir (DMK). Starting on the 5th day of diabetes, Kefir was administered by daily gavage at a dose of 1.8 mL/day for 8 weeks. Before and after Kefir treatment, the rats were placed in individual metabolic cages to obtain blood and urine samples to evaluate urea, creatinine, proteinuria, nitric oxide (NO), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and C-reactive protein (CRP). After sacrificing the animals, the renal cortex was removed for histology, oxidative stress and NOS evaluation. When compared to CTL rats, DM rats showed increased levels of glycemia, plasmatic urea, proteinuria, renal NO, superoxide anion, TBARS, and plasmatic CRP; also demonstrated a reduction in urinary urea, creatinine, and NO. However, DMK rats showed a significant improvement in most of these parameters. Despite the lack of differences observed in the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) was significantly lower in the DMK group when compared to DM rats, as assessed by Western blot analysis. Moreover, the DMK group presented a significant reduction of glycogen accumulation within the renal tubules when compared to the DM group. These results indicate that Kefir treatment may contribute to better control of glycemia and oxidative stress, which is associated with the amelioration of renal function, suggesting its use as a non-pharmacological adjuvant to delay the progression of diabetic complications.

Food Chemistry, 2012

Development of dairy organic probiotic fermented products is of great interest as they associate ... more Development of dairy organic probiotic fermented products is of great interest as they associate ecological practices and benefits of probiotic bacteria. As organic management practices of cow milk production allow modification of the fatty acid composition of milk (as compared to conventional milk), we studied the influence of the type of milk on some characteristics of fermented milks, such as acidification kinetics, bacterial counts and fatty acid content. Conventional and organic probiotic fermented milks were produced using Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 in co-culture with Streptococcus thermophilus TA040 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB340. The use of organic milk led to a higher acidification rate and cultivability of Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Fatty acids profile of organic fermented milks showed higher amounts of trans-octadecenoic acid (C18:1, 1.6 times) and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including cis-9 trans-11, C18:2 conjugated linoleic (CLA-1.4 times), and a-linolenic acids (ALA-1.6 times), as compared to conventional fermented milks. These higher levels were the result of both initial percentage in the milk and increase during acidification, with no further modification during storage. Finally, use of bifidobacteria slightly increased CLA relative content in the conventional fermented milks, after 7 days of storage at 4°C, whereas no difference was seen in organic fermented milks.

BMC Gastroenterology, 2013

Background: The treatment for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is complex; full... more Background: The treatment for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is complex; full effectiveness is rarely achieved and it has many adverse effects. In developing countries, increased resistance to antibiotics and its cost make eradication more difficult. Probiotics can reduce adverse effects and improve the infection treatment efficacy. If the first-line therapy fails a second-line treatment using tetracycline, furazolidone and proton-pump inhibitors has been effective and low cost in Brazil; however it implies in a lot of adverse effects. The aim of this study was to minimize the adverse effects and increase the eradication rate applying the association of a probiotic compound to second-line therapy regimen. Methods: Patients with peptic ulcer or functional dyspepsia infected by H. pylori were randomized to treatment with the furazolidone, tetracycline and lansoprazole regimen, twice a day for 7 days. In a double-blind study, patients received placebo or a probiotic compound (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Streptococcus faecium) in capsules, twice a day for 30 days. A symptom questionnaire was administered in day zero, after completion of antibiotic therapy, after the probiotic use and eight weeks after the end of the treatment. Upper digestive endoscopy, histological assessment, rapid urease test and breath test were performed before and eight weeks after eradication treatment. Results: One hundred and seven patients were enrolled: 21 men with active probiotic and 19 with placebo plus 34 women with active probiotic and 33 with placebo comprising a total of 55 patients with active probiotic and 52 with placebo. Fifty-one patients had peptic ulcer and 56 were diagnosed as functional dyspepsia. The per-protocol eradication rate with active probiotic was 89.8% and with placebo, 85.1% (p = 0.49); per intention to treat, 81.8% and 79.6%, respectively (p = 0.53). The rate of adverse effects at 7 days with the active probiotic was 59.3% and 71.2% with placebo (p = 0.20). At 30 days, it was 44.9% and 60.4%, respectively (p = 0.08). Conclusions: The use of this probiotic compound compared to placebo in the proposed regimen in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer or functional dyspepsia showed no significant difference in efficacy or adverse effects.

International …, 2001

At least three B cell subsets, B-1a, B-1b and B-2, or conventional B cells are present in the mou... more At least three B cell subsets, B-1a, B-1b and B-2, or conventional B cells are present in the mouse periphery. Here we demonstrate that B-1 cells spontaneously proliferate in stationary cultures of normal adherent mouse peritoneal cells. B-1 cells were characterized by morphology, ...

International journal …, 2005

The mechanisms that govern giant cell (GC) formation in inflammatory, neoplastic and physiologic ... more The mechanisms that govern giant cell (GC) formation in inflammatory, neoplastic and physiologic conditions are far from being understood. Here, we demonstrate that B-1 cells are essential for foreign-body GC formation in the mouse. GCs were analysed on the surface of glass ...

Chemical engineering transactions, 2019

The present study aims to develop an efficient industrial fermentation process that promotes the ... more The present study aims to develop an efficient industrial fermentation process that promotes the increase of sporulated biomass in a single batch of Bacillus coagulans BVB5. Preliminary studies of various culture media were performed in Erlenmeyer flasks for 96 hours in a shaker at 44 °C and 240 rpm, and the degree of sporulation was analyzed. The culture media tested were glucose, yeast extract, peptone based medium (GYP), GYP with salts (GYPs), glucose, yeast extract, tryptone based medium (GYT), soy protein, yeast extract, sodium chloride based medium (FNY), 50% FNY (FNY50), glucose, soy protein, potassium salts based medium (DSK) and 50% DSK (DSK50). The results had shown that the FNY50 medium obtained a higher degree of sporulation of 100% followed by FNY with 99.99%, whereas media containing relatively large amounts of glucose such as GYP, GYPs and GYT did not exhibit satisfactory sporulation. The reduction of the cost and consequent increase of the efficiency in the preparati...

Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies

The increasing of the demand for functional foods, which include those supplemented or fermented ... more The increasing of the demand for functional foods, which include those supplemented or fermented by probiotic microorganisms, resulted in the advancement of research and development of new strains. The probiotic microorganisms Bacillus spp. are attractive for the inherent stability due to their characteristic of spore-forming bacteria. Spores allow prolonged shelf life and increase the ability to survive gastric barriers, which turn out to be an advantage over lactobacilli. Two bacteria were supplied by VitaBridge Company in order to identify which strain would have the best technological performance for the development of a novel functional food with high performance in the zootechnical improvement of broilers. The characterization was performed according to the protocol which included phenotypic and genotypic tests for determining the probiotic potential of the strains. The results of the tests revealed that BVB1 possesses the best technological characteristics and can be used with efficiency in the improvement of the zootechnical performance of broilers.

PloS one, 2017

Lactobacillus probiotics have been investigated in periodontitis. However, the effects of the gen... more Lactobacillus probiotics have been investigated in periodontitis. However, the effects of the genus Bifidobacterium on periodontitis are hardly known. This study evaluated the effects of the probiotic (PROB) Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) HN019 as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in rats with experimental periodontitis (EP). At baseline, 32 rats were assigned to 4 groups: C (control), PROB, EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB. In groups EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB, the mandibular first molars of the animals received a ligature. At day 14, the ligatures were removed and SRP was performed. Animals of groups PROB and EP-SRP-PROB were orally administered with 10 mL/day of 109 colony forming units of B. lactis HN019 for 15 days, starting at day 14. Animals were euthanized at day 29. Histomorphometric, microtomographic and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Microbiological effects of B. lactis on biofilm were also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed (ANOVA,...

Clinical Nutrition, 2015

The hyperglycemia leads to increased oxidative stress, causing lipid peroxidation and imbalance i... more The hyperglycemia leads to increased oxidative stress, causing lipid peroxidation and imbalance in the immune system. To investigate the effect of Kefir - a probiotic containing different strains - on metabolic parameters, cytokines, nitric oxide (NO) production, phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages and intestinal modulation in diabetes. Wistar rats received injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg, intravenously) and diabetes was defined as glycemia ≥200 mg/dL. The animals were distributed in four groups: control (CTL); control Kefir (CTLK); diabetic (DM); diabetic Kefir (DMK). Kefir was given at 1.8 mL/day by gavage, started on the 5th day of diabetes, during 8 weeks. The animals were allocated in metabolic cages, pre and post treatment with Kefir, for measurement of the metabolic parameters, such as water intake, food intake, diuresis, glycemia, body mass, insulin and lipid profile, these last two were only measured at the end of Kefir protocol. After treatment, the animals were euthanized and the peritoneal cavity was prepared, resident macrophages were collected and cultured for analysis of the phagocytic activity, cytokines (IL-10, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-1β) and NO. The intestinal modulation was performed by the quantification of Peyer's patches (PP) in the small intestine. The data were presented as mean ± SEM, with significance of p < 0.05. DM when compared to CTL showed increase in water intake (133 ± 7 vs. 28 ± 1 mL, p < 0.0001), food intake (40 ± 2 vs. 16 ± 1 g, p < 0.0001), diuresis (102 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 1 mL, p < 0.0001) and glycemia (567 ± 12 vs. 84 ± 3 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), while in DMK group all these metabolic parameters were decreased (96 ± 14; 36 ± 1; 86 ± 7 and 407 ± 19, respectively, p < 0.0001), presenting increase of body mass (42 ± 5 vs. 16 ± 4Δ, p < 0.0001) and insulin levels (0.3 ± 0.8 vs. 0.1 ± 0.04 ng/mL, p < 0.0001) compared to DM. The lipid profile of the diabetic groups showed tendency to increase compared to the respective controls. In relation to function of peritoneal macrophages, DMK group vs. DM showed improvement in phagocytic capacity (70 ± 5 vs. 51 ± 7%, p = 0,0023) and increased concentration of all the cytokines analyzed (pg/mL), as IL-10 (926 ± 69 vs. 556 ± 92, p = 0.0004), TNF-α (178 ± 20 vs. 109 ± 20, p = 0.005), IL-17 (33 ± 1 vs. 9 ± 1, p = 0.0001) and IL-1β (102 ± 14 vs. 70 ± 5, p = 0.0129), after 24 h of LPS stimulation; including NO bioavailability after 24 h (102 ± 9 vs. 66 ± 5 μM/mL, p = 0.0029) or 48 h (143 ± 8 vs. 119 ± 4 μM/mL, p = 0.0102) of LPS stimulation. Moreover, the number of PP in the whole small intestine of DMK group was also increased as compared to DM (22 ± 1 vs. 18 ± 1, p = 0.0292). These results show that Kefir has a potential to modulate the immune response and activate peritoneal macrophages in diabetic animals, which suggests that it could enhance the immunocompetence of patients affected by diabetes mellitus. The hypoglycemic effect of this probiotic could be used as a tool to control glycemia, reducing or delaying the onset of complications associated with this disease.

The management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is still a matter of discussion, fu... more The management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is still a matter of discussion, full effectiveness is rarely achieved, and it has many adverse effects. The use of probiotics may be associated with better eradication rates and possibly prevention of adverse events due to antibiotic therapy. The present clinical study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of a specially designed fermented milk product, containing Bifidobacterium lactis B420, on the eradication of H. pylori infection in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study in humans. Four test fermented milks (FM) were specially designed in which counts of viable cells in all products were 1010 Log CFU. 100 mL-1 for Bifidobacterium lactis - Bifidobacterium species 420. 190 subjects infected with H. pylori, with previous diagnosis of functional dyspepsia according to Rome III criteria entered the study. Bifidobacterium lactis B420, administered twice a day for 90 days was not able to eradicate H. py...

The health benefits offered by probiotic fermented milks can be increased by adding native fruit ... more The health benefits offered by probiotic fermented milks can be increased by adding native fruit pulps. Red fruits contain ellagic acid (EA) and ellagitannins, interesting substances due to their powerful antioxidant properties and other beneficial biological activities, such as cardio protective effects, selective growth inhibition of human pathogenic bacteria, α-amylase inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme, and proliferative activities against several different cancer cells. This study aimed to improve the physical properties of symbiotic yoghurts through their supplementation with a mixture of red berry pulps: strawberry, raspberry and "pitanga". The simplex-centroid design was used for mixture modelling. The design included seven batches/trials: three supplemented with each type of fruit pulp, three corresponding to the binary mixtures and one supplemented with the combination of the three pulps. A control experiment was prepared without addition of fruit pulp. Processed milk bases were fermented at 42 °C until pH 4.7 by using a starter culture blend that consisted of Streptococcus thermophilus (TA040), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (LB340) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA140). Subsequently, milk base (80 %) was blended with a pulp preparation (20 %) and other ingredients according to the experimental design. Physicochemical analyses, enumeration of viable bacteria, colour and rheological characteristics of the yoghurts were evaluated 36 h after preparation and 21 days after cold storage. Three regression models were adjusted to the results (linear, quadratic and cubic special). The results showed that the addition of a mixture of red fruit pulps affected pH and counts of probiotic bacteria, which slightly decrease during storage. Addition of the three red berry pulps simultaneously enhanced the colour and rheological properties of probiotic yoghurts when compared to the control. It was possible to estimate the optimum mixture compositions of the three fruit pulps that increase EA contents in probiotic yoghurts.

Functional foods are important sources of probiotic delivery, mainly by fermented milk products. ... more Functional foods are important sources of probiotic delivery, mainly by fermented milk products. The physiological benefits attributed to bifido bacteria are their abilities to interfere with the adhesion of pathogenic species to surfaces of intestinal cells, and to enhance the host's immune function through their metabolic activities. However, the effects of a technological approachfermentation or addition of probiotic in milk, and its efficacy in health are rarely taken into consideration. Hence, fermented or unfermented milk using Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 were administered to BALB/c mice for 14 days. After that, the architecture of the gut was histologically investigated, and the related immune cells were examined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Increase in mucus and cellularity production, changes in immune pattern and preservation of mucosal epithelia in health BALB/c mice were observed only in the fermented milk group. This suggested that changes in functionality of bifidobacteria and/or the metabolites produced by the fermentation process are the keys to improving beneficial effects in the host of the gut mucosa.

ABSTRACT Development of dairy products containing bifido bacteria is one of the main focuses in t... more ABSTRACT Development of dairy products containing bifido bacteria is one of the main focuses in the food industry, considering the health benefits attributed to its survival through gut intestinal tract and the liberation of biogenic compounds. In order to evaluate the effect of process conditions on survival of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis HN019 and release of biogenic compounds during cold storage two technological processes were employed: (i) addition of Probiotic (unfermented bifido milk; UFBM) and (ii) fermentation (fermented bifido milk; FBM). B. Lactis HN019 counts were stable only in fermented milks during seven weeks of cold storage. Moreover, dairy matrices associated with cold storage appeared to protect bifidobacteria during exposition to gastric conditions, assuring the correct Probiotic counts at gut entrance. The distribution of fatty acids was affected by the different Probiotic products. In contrast, fermentation process increased the relative contents of some bioactive fatty acids, such as elaidic acid (+11%) and conjugated linoleic acids (+20%). It was also noted an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids in the FBM and a higher relative content of monounsaturated fatty acids in the UFBM, as compared to control milk. In addition, fermentation process by bifido bacteria enhanced the long chain fatty acids fraction in bifido milks as compared to control and unfermented bifido milks. Control milk and unfermented bifido milk showed the same peptides even after seven days of storage in contrast with fermented milks that had increase bioactive peptides. It is possible to suggest that opioid peptides are formed during fermentation process, increasing the source of bioactive peptides. Finally, the cold conservation process modified peptides and could improve antibacterial activity.

ABSTRACT Vegetal oil emulsion and passion fruit peel powder were concomitantly incorporated to mi... more ABSTRACT Vegetal oil emulsion and passion fruit peel powder were concomitantly incorporated to milk aiming to produce new functional yoghurt with health benefits. Four milk bases with similar energetic content and macronutrient composition, enriched or not with vegetal oil emulsion and/or passion fruit peel powder, were fermented with Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bifidobacterium species 420) to supply yoghurts with similar appearance, flavor, and stability. Milk without supplementation was used as control. Applying hedonic scale and projective map approaches, respectively, 227 and 25 panellists analysed the samples concerning flavor, texture-in-spoon, creaminess-in-mouth, and global impression. Instrumental firmness was also investigated. Considering the same fermentation temperature, the addition of vegetal-oil emulsion and passion fruit peel-powder did not influence fermentation time, but significantly affected instrumental firmness. Despite the observed differences in flavor and global impression there were no significant changes in consumers' overall liking between supplemented and conventional yoghurts.

Nitric Oxide, 2014

This study aimed at assessing the effects of Kefir, a probiotic fermented milk, on oxidative stre... more This study aimed at assessing the effects of Kefir, a probiotic fermented milk, on oxidative stress in diabetic animals. The induction of diabetes was achieved in adult male Wistar rats using streptozotocin (STZ). The animals were distributed into four groups as follows: control (CTL); control Kefir (CTLK); diabetic (DM) and diabetic Kefir (DMK). Starting on the 5th day of diabetes, Kefir was administered by daily gavage at a dose of 1.8 mL/day for 8 weeks. Before and after Kefir treatment, the rats were placed in individual metabolic cages to obtain blood and urine samples to evaluate urea, creatinine, proteinuria, nitric oxide (NO), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and C-reactive protein (CRP). After sacrificing the animals, the renal cortex was removed for histology, oxidative stress and NOS evaluation. When compared to CTL rats, DM rats showed increased levels of glycemia, plasmatic urea, proteinuria, renal NO, superoxide anion, TBARS, and plasmatic CRP; also demonstrated a reduction in urinary urea, creatinine, and NO. However, DMK rats showed a significant improvement in most of these parameters. Despite the lack of differences observed in the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) was significantly lower in the DMK group when compared to DM rats, as assessed by Western blot analysis. Moreover, the DMK group presented a significant reduction of glycogen accumulation within the renal tubules when compared to the DM group. These results indicate that Kefir treatment may contribute to better control of glycemia and oxidative stress, which is associated with the amelioration of renal function, suggesting its use as a non-pharmacological adjuvant to delay the progression of diabetic complications.

Food Chemistry, 2012

Development of dairy organic probiotic fermented products is of great interest as they associate ... more Development of dairy organic probiotic fermented products is of great interest as they associate ecological practices and benefits of probiotic bacteria. As organic management practices of cow milk production allow modification of the fatty acid composition of milk (as compared to conventional milk), we studied the influence of the type of milk on some characteristics of fermented milks, such as acidification kinetics, bacterial counts and fatty acid content. Conventional and organic probiotic fermented milks were produced using Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 in co-culture with Streptococcus thermophilus TA040 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB340. The use of organic milk led to a higher acidification rate and cultivability of Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Fatty acids profile of organic fermented milks showed higher amounts of trans-octadecenoic acid (C18:1, 1.6 times) and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including cis-9 trans-11, C18:2 conjugated linoleic (CLA-1.4 times), and a-linolenic acids (ALA-1.6 times), as compared to conventional fermented milks. These higher levels were the result of both initial percentage in the milk and increase during acidification, with no further modification during storage. Finally, use of bifidobacteria slightly increased CLA relative content in the conventional fermented milks, after 7 days of storage at 4°C, whereas no difference was seen in organic fermented milks.

BMC Gastroenterology, 2013

Background: The treatment for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is complex; full... more Background: The treatment for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is complex; full effectiveness is rarely achieved and it has many adverse effects. In developing countries, increased resistance to antibiotics and its cost make eradication more difficult. Probiotics can reduce adverse effects and improve the infection treatment efficacy. If the first-line therapy fails a second-line treatment using tetracycline, furazolidone and proton-pump inhibitors has been effective and low cost in Brazil; however it implies in a lot of adverse effects. The aim of this study was to minimize the adverse effects and increase the eradication rate applying the association of a probiotic compound to second-line therapy regimen. Methods: Patients with peptic ulcer or functional dyspepsia infected by H. pylori were randomized to treatment with the furazolidone, tetracycline and lansoprazole regimen, twice a day for 7 days. In a double-blind study, patients received placebo or a probiotic compound (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Streptococcus faecium) in capsules, twice a day for 30 days. A symptom questionnaire was administered in day zero, after completion of antibiotic therapy, after the probiotic use and eight weeks after the end of the treatment. Upper digestive endoscopy, histological assessment, rapid urease test and breath test were performed before and eight weeks after eradication treatment. Results: One hundred and seven patients were enrolled: 21 men with active probiotic and 19 with placebo plus 34 women with active probiotic and 33 with placebo comprising a total of 55 patients with active probiotic and 52 with placebo. Fifty-one patients had peptic ulcer and 56 were diagnosed as functional dyspepsia. The per-protocol eradication rate with active probiotic was 89.8% and with placebo, 85.1% (p = 0.49); per intention to treat, 81.8% and 79.6%, respectively (p = 0.53). The rate of adverse effects at 7 days with the active probiotic was 59.3% and 71.2% with placebo (p = 0.20). At 30 days, it was 44.9% and 60.4%, respectively (p = 0.08). Conclusions: The use of this probiotic compound compared to placebo in the proposed regimen in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer or functional dyspepsia showed no significant difference in efficacy or adverse effects.

International …, 2001

At least three B cell subsets, B-1a, B-1b and B-2, or conventional B cells are present in the mou... more At least three B cell subsets, B-1a, B-1b and B-2, or conventional B cells are present in the mouse periphery. Here we demonstrate that B-1 cells spontaneously proliferate in stationary cultures of normal adherent mouse peritoneal cells. B-1 cells were characterized by morphology, ...

International journal …, 2005

The mechanisms that govern giant cell (GC) formation in inflammatory, neoplastic and physiologic ... more The mechanisms that govern giant cell (GC) formation in inflammatory, neoplastic and physiologic conditions are far from being understood. Here, we demonstrate that B-1 cells are essential for foreign-body GC formation in the mouse. GCs were analysed on the surface of glass ...