Introductory Chapter: B-Group Vitamins

Vitamins are organic micronutrients which are substances that must be present in small quantities and that are essential for the growth and development of the human body and are required in numerous metabolic reactions to maintain homeostasis. The 13 vitamins that are required by human metabolisms are divided as being either fat-soluble (such as vitamins A (retinols and carotenoids), D (cholecalciferol), E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), and K (quinones)), or water soluble (that include vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the B group vitamins). In the latter group (B-group) these include: vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid or folate) and vitamin B12 (cobalamins).Fil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Introductory Chapter: Vitamin C

The word vitamin was originally coined to describe amines that are essential for life. It is now know that although not all vitamins are amines, the are organic micronutrients that mean that they must be consumed in small quantities for the adequate growth and are required in numerous metabolic reactions to maintain homeostasis. There are 13 vitamins that are recognized by all researchers, and these can be classified as either being soluble in fats (fat-soluble) (including vitamins A (retinols and carotenoids), D (cholecalciferol), E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), and K (quinones)), or soluble in water (water-soluble) (including vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the B group vitamins). B-group vitamins include the following: vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid or folate) and vitamin B12 (cobalamins).Fil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Lactic fermentation as a strategy to improve the nutritional and functional values of pseudocereals

One of the greatest challenges is to reduce malnutrition worldwide while promoting sustainable agricultural and food systems. This is a daunting task due to the constant growth of the population and the increasing demands by consumers for functional foods with higher nutritional values. Cereal grains are the most important dietary energy source globally; wheat, rice, and maize currently provide about half of the dietary energy source of humankind. In addition, the increase of celiac patients worldwide has motivated the development of gluten-free foods using alternative flour types to wheat such as rice, corn, cassava, soybean, and pseudocereals (amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat). Amaranth and quinoa have been cultivated since ancient times and were two of the major crops of the Pre-Colombian cultures in Latin-America. In recent years and due to their well-known high nutritional value and potential health benefits, these pseudocereals have received much attention as ideal candidates for gluten-free products. The importance of exploiting these grains for the elaboration of healthy and nutritious foods has forced food producers to develop novel adequate strategies for their processing. Fermentation is one of the most antique and economical methods of producing and preserving foods and can be easily employed for cereal processing. The nutritional and functional quality of pseudocereals can be improved by fermentation using Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB). This review provides an overview on pseudocereal fermentation by LAB emphasizing the capacity of these bacteria to decrease antinutritional factors such as phytic acid, increase the functional value of phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds, and produce nutritional ingredients such as B-group vitamins. The numerous beneficial effects of lactic fermentation of pseudocereals can be exploited to design novel and healthier foods or grain ingredients destined to general population and especially to patients with coeliac disease.Fil: Rollan, Graciela Celestina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Gerez, Carla Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Traditional fermented products - a good dource for beneficial lactic acid bacteria

Modern diets of the western world are very different than the traditional ones which many researchers and consumers are now realizing that the latter are not only nutritious but also can provide benefits beyond their nutritional properties. Almost all current eating regimes of modern societies include the consumption of elevated amounts of processed foods and ready-to-eat products that contain numerous chemicals or refined additives (such as conservants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, salts, carbohydrates) that are used to increase shelf-life, flavour and physical properties. In addition, most people do not follow proper eating guidelines and fast for long periods of time and then overeat afterwards instead of eating several smaller meals throughout the day. All of these unhealthy foods and bad eating habits are important causes of the increase incidence of obesity, high cholesterol levels in blood, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other health problems including certain types of cancers. At the same time traditional fermented food products that contain low levels of preservatives and can provide health promoting benefits have only recently been reincorporated as part of normal diets. Traditional fermented foods such as bread, cheese, salami, olives, beer and wine, have been prepared and consumed for thousands of years using locally available materials and more importantly the methods of preparation are strongly linked to culture and tradition; the preparation of these foods still remains a household art in many isolated regions and are normally passed down from generation to generation. These foods have special organoleptic qualities and some even possess health promoting properties due to the presence of a biologically diverse microbiota, especially Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) present in the raw material or as a contaminant from the producers or instruments used to prepare them. These microorganisms are important genetic reservoirs and hold great biotechnological and health improving potentials that should be exploited. These beneficial microorganisms are not only involved in modifying the sensorial and technological aspects of foods, mainly through the release of lactic acid and flavour compounds, but many exhibit probiotic properties. Because of the numerous beneficial properties that have been attributed to LAB, these are the most commonly used probiotic microorganisms that can have been defined by the World Health organization as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Some of the health claims attributed to probiotics include the improvement of the normal microbiota and stabilization of the gut mucosal barrier, prevention of infectious diseases and food allergies, hypocholesterolemic, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties, immune system modulation, prevention of inflammatory bowel diseases, and alleviation of lactose intolerance. They have also been shown to provide essential compounds such as vitamins, hydrolytic enzymes, bacteriocins, and other bioactive compounds. Nowadays, most probiotic foods are milk-based, although many fermented cereals, with added probiotic cultures, are now appearing in specialized markets. However, only limited knowledge of LAB content in traditional fermented food products is currently available and very little has been done in the line of searching these products as a natural source of beneficial LAB. Cereals have a high nutritional value (vitamins, proteins, dietary fiber, energy, and minerals) and are cultivated on more than 73 % of agricultural soil while contributing to more than 60 % of the world?s food production. LAB are frequently involved in the fermentation of the cereals and these products have a long history of use in traditional medicine because of their beneficial properties. Other fermented food products such as salami, cheese, fruits and vegetables can be a good source of beneficial LAB as well. Consumers can appreciate the highly organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of these products and in the same time can be consuming a high number of LAB with beneficial characteristics. LAB may contribute to the extension of the self life of the products by producing various antimicrobial substances, including bacteriocins, lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, fatty acids, diacetyl and other low molecular weight compounds during fermentation. In fact LAB can have play beneficial role in the production and conservation of the food products from one side and been beneficial for the consumers as a probiotic on the later stage. It was demonstrated that without even knowing the basic theories of microbiology, ancient populations were able to optimize the biotechnological aspects of fermentation giving rise to foods and beverages that were not only useful because of their nutritive and social aspects, but also provided health-promoting and curative properties, many of which are just recently being described by concrete scientific research. These foods thus merit further scientific investigations in order to understand exactly which microorganisms could be useful to be used as biotechnological tools for the development of new and improved foods or used as novel fountains of beneficial LAB that could be used in a wide range of probiotic applications.Fil: Todorov, Svetoslav Dimitrov. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Effect of probiotic administration on the intestinal microbiota, current knowledge and potential applications

Although it is now known that the human body is colonized by a wide variety of microbial populations in different parts (such as the mouth, pharynx and respiratory system, the skin, the gastro- and urogenital tracts), many effects of the complex interactions between the human host and microbial symbionts are still not completely understood. The dysbiosis of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota is considered to be one of the most important contributing factors in the development of many gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer, as well as systemic diseases like obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fecal microbial transplantations appear to be promising therapies for dysbiosis-associated diseases; however, probiotic microorganisms have been growing in popularity due to increasing numbers of studies proving that certain strains present health promoting properties, among them the beneficial balance of the intestinal microbiota. Inflammatory bowel diseases and obesity are the pathologies in which there are more studies showing this beneficial association using animal models and even in human clinical trials. In this review, the association of the human gut microbiota and human health will be discussed along with the benefits that probiotics can confer on this symbiotic activity and on the prevention or treatment of associated diseases.Fil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Malignant paraganglioma of the mesentery: a case report and review of literature

Paragangliomas represent only 10% of chromaffin tissue tumors and those arising from the mesentery seem to be a rare occurrence. We report a case of a 55 year old man in whom an abdominal mass was discovered fortuitously by ultrasonography during a routine health exam. He presented occasional heart palpitations and diaphoresis as well as a well-demarcated mass upon abdominal physical examination. CT scan revealed a solid polylobulated mass in the right lower quadrant. Exploration laparotomy revealed a voluminous multi-nodular tumoral mass, which contained hemorrhagic spots. Histopathological studies confirmed the presence of a paraganglioma. The excision of the mass as well as the surrounding intestine and mesentery also revealed two lymphatic metastases, the first among 14 documented cases to be described concerning mesenteric paragangliomas. One year follow up and CT scan revealed neither recurrence nor the presence of distant metastases

Effect of riboflavin-producing bacteria against chemically induced colitis in mice

Aim: To assess the anti-inflammatory effect associated with individual probiotic suspensions of riboflavin-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in a colitis murine model. Methods and Results: Mice intrarectally inoculated with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) were orally administered with individual suspensions of riboflavin-producing strains: Lactobacillus (Lact.) plantarum CRL2130, Lact. paracasei CRL76, Lact. bulgaricus CRL871 and Streptococcus thermophilus CRL803; and a nonriboflavin-producing strain or commercial riboflavin. The extent of colonic damage and inflammation and microbial translocation to liver were evaluated. iNOs enzyme was analysed in the intestinal tissues and cytokine concentrations in the intestinal fluids. Animals given either one of the four riboflavin-producing strains showed lower macroscopic and histologic damage scores, lower microbial translocation to liver, significant decreases of iNOs+ cells in their large intestines and decreased proinflammatory cytokines, compared with mice without treatment. The administration of pure riboflavin showed similar benefits. Lact. paracasei CRL76 accompanied its anti-inflammatory effect with increased IL-10 levels demonstrating other beneficial properties in addition to the vitamin production. Conclusion: Administration of riboflavin-producing strains prevented the intestinal damage induced by TNBS in mice. Significance and Impact of the Study: Riboflavin-producing phenotype in LAB represents a potent tool to select them for preventing/treating IBD.Fil: Levit, Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Savoy, Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Evaluation of vitamin-producing and immunomodulatory lactic acid bacteria as a potential co-adjuvant for cancer therapy in a mouse model

Aims: To evaluate a mixture of selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (a riboflavin-producer, a folate-producer and an immunomodulatory strain) as co-adjuvant for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy in cell culture and using a 4T1 cell animal model of breast cancer. Methods and results: The viability of Caco-2 cells exposed to 5-FU and/or LAB was analysed. Mice bearing breast tumour were treated with 5-FU and/or LAB. Tumour growth was measured. Intestinal mucositis (IM) was evaluated in small intestine; haematological parameters and plasma cytokines were determined. The bacterial mixture did not negatively affect the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU on Caco-2 cells. The LAB mixture attenuated the IM and prevented blood cell decreases associated with 5-FU treatment. Mice that received 5-FU and LAB mixture decreased tumour growth and showed modulation of systemic cytokines modified by both tumour growth and 5-FU treatment. The LAB mixture by itself delayed tumour growth. Conclusions: The mixture of selected LAB was able to reduce the side-effects associated with chemotherapy without affecting its primary anti-tumour activity. Significance and Impact of the Study: This bacterial mixture could prevent the interruption of conventional oncologic therapies by reducing undesirable side-effects. In addition, this blend would provide essential nutrients (vitamins) to oncology patients.Fil: Levit, Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Savoy, Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin