ABSTRACT
Using paw edema acute inflammatory model induced by carrageenan (1%) in Wistar rats, the immunoregulatory action of Lactobacillus sp., isolated from two locally fermented food products in Nigeria: Nunu (a yogurt-like milk product) and Ogi (guinea corn slurry), was investigated. The rats were distributed into seven groups (A-G). Rats in group A did not receive any therapy or carrageenan inflammation, whereas those in group B received a carrageenan injection only. Groups C-F were orally administered with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (5 × 107 CFU/ml), whereas group G received diclofenac sodium (150 mg/kg body weight) following the administration of carrageenan. At regular intervals, paw thickness (mm) was measured. Microscopy was used to count the number of leukocytes; myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was used to measure the neutrophil accumulation in the paw tissue; and rat serum samples were subjected to ELISA to identify cytokine assays for C-reactive protein (CR-P), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß). All of the LAB-treated groups showed a statistically significant decrease in paw thickness, and their neutrophil and monocyte infiltration was significantly affected. Compared with the control groups, oral administration with LAB significantly suppressed the MPO activity. Lactobacillus fermentum NBRC showed the most significant upregulation of serum levels of IL-10 and TGF-ß though serum levels of CR-P were downregulated. Lactobacillus pentosus increased the production of TGF-ß, with no significant effect on the production of IL-10. This study presents the role of Lactobacillus sp. in regulating inflammation by modifying the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-ß.
ABSTRACT
The contributions of microorganisms in the deterioration of African breadfruit during storage were investigated in this study. Matured fruits of the seedless variety of the African breadfruit (Artocarpus communis, Forst) were stored under different temperature conditions and morphological changes observed at 24-h intervals for 120 h. Spoilage of breadfruit was observed after 72 h with microbial growth. Although all the fruits in the different media deteriorated by the 72nd hour (this was revealed in morphology and confirmed by the proximate analysis which showed an increase in %crude protein in all the stored fruits), microbial growth was observed only in those fruits stored at room temperature and in water, and there was no significant microbial growth in fruits stored in refrigerator, freezer, and vinegar. A higher rate of deterioration (i.e., higher %crude protein) was observed in morphology of fruits which had microbial growth during storage (i.e., those stored in the room, under water, and refrigerator) than in those stored fruits with no significant microbial growth. The difference between the %crude protein in fruits where there is microbial growth and that of the fruits where there is no microbial growth (i.e., freezer and vinegar) proved to be significant (P ≤ 0.05). The study thus reveals that microorganisms play a substantial role in the spoilage of African breadfruit. A strain of the Aspergillus sp., two strains of the Penicillium sp., and a strain of the Molinia sp. were isolated as fungal spoilage organisms. Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. strains were isolated as bacteria spoilage organisms.
