Potential role of Limosilactobacillus fermentum as a probiotic with anti-diabetic properties: A review

Oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota impairments have been implicated in the development and maintenance of diabetes mellitus. Strategies capable of recovering the community of commensal gut microbiota and controlling diabetes mellitus have increased in recent years. Some lactobacilli strains have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system capable of protecting against oxidative stress, inflammation, and diabetes mellitus. Experimental studies and some clinical trials have demonstrated that Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains can beneficially modulate the host antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system, resulting in the amelioration of glucose homeostasis in diabetic conditions. This review presents and discusses the currently available studies on the identification of Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains with anti-diabetic properties, their sources, range of dosage, and the intervention time in experiments with animals and clinical trials. This review strives to serve as a relevant and well-cataloged reference of Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains capable of inducing anti-diabetic effects and promoting health benefits.     

Investigation of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell death mechanisms induced by Synadenium umbellatum Pax

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Synadenium umbellatum Pax. is widely found in South America and empirically used in Brazil for the treatment of several diseases, mainly cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate cell death mechanisms induced by Synadenium umbellatum Pax. using Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells, as well as the myelotoxicity potential of this plant.

Materials and methods

S. umbellatum cytotoxicity was evaluated in EAT cells by trypan blue exclusion and MTT reduction test and the mechanisms involved in EAT cell death were investigated by light and fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. Investigation of S. umbellatum myelotoxicity was performed by clonogenic assay of colony forming unit- granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM).

Results and Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that S. umbellatum decreased the viability of EAT cells using both methods. Morphological analyses revealed that S. umbellatum-treatment induced EAT cell death by apoptotic pathway. We demonstrated the occurrence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overgeneration, increased intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential, phosphatydylserine externalization, and activation of caspases 3, 8, and 9. However, S. umbellatum produced myelotoxicity in bone marrow cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In comparison to EAT cells, the effects of S. umbellatum in bone marrow cells were 8-fold lower. Taken together, our results showed that S. umbellatum induced apoptosis in EAT cells at several levels and seems more toxic to tumor cells than to normal bone marrow cells.