Background and Purpose: In previous investigations, Weissella confusa was shown to lack the metabolic pathway from fructose to mannitol and to produce ethanol when cultivated in the presence of fructose. Hence, we assessed the effect of oral administration of W. confusa (strain NRRL-B-14171) on blood and fecal ethanol concentrations, glucose and lipid metabolism and traits of the metabolic syndrome in Wistar rats (n=27) fed diets with two different fat and fructose levels and with or without the addition of W. confusa during a total intervention time of 15 weeks (105 days). Materials and Methods: From week 1 to 6, rats were given a medium fructose and fat (MFru-MF) diet containing 28% fructose and 10% fat without the addition of W. confusa (control group, n=13) or mixed with 30 g per kg diet of lyophilized W. confusa (10.56 ± 0.20 log CFU/g; W. confusa group, n=14). From week 7 to 15, the percentage of dietary fructose and fat in the control and W. confusa group was increased to 56% and 16%, respectively (high fructose-high fat (HFru-HF) diet). Results: In HFru-HF-fed rats, W. confusa was detected in feces, regardless of whether W. confusa was added to the diet or not, but not in rats receiving the MFru-MF diet without added W. confusa or in an additional control group (n=10) fed standard rat food without fructose, increased fat content and W. confusa. This indicates that fecal W. confusa may be derived from orally administered W. confusa as well asin the case of high fructose and fat intake and obesity of ratsfrom the intestinal microbiota. As shown by multifactorial ANOVA, blood ethanol, the relative liver weight, serum triglycerides, and serum cholesterol as well as fecal ethanol, ADH, acetate, propionate and butyrate, but not lactate, were significantly higher in the W. confusacompared to the control group. Discussion: This is the first in vivo trial demonstrating that heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria lacking the mannitol pathway (like W. confusa) can increase fecal and blood ethanol concentrations in mammals on a high fructose-high fat diet. This may explain why W. confusa resulted in hyperlipidemia and may promote development of NAFLD in the host.

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Purpose: To examine the potential of extracts from selected herbs used in African traditional medicine in diabetes patients, and to determine their effect on traits of metabolic syndrome in rats fed a high-fat and high-fructose diet.Methods: Ethanol and aqueous extracts were prepared from Mangifera indica (MI), Lonchocarpus eriocalyx (LE), Urtica massaica (UM), Schkuhria pinnata (SP) and Launaea cornuta (LC). Ethanol extracts (1:100 dilution) were examined for inhibition of pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase activity invitro. Furthermore, aqueous extracts were administered for 74 days to male Wistar rats fed a high-fat and high-fructose diet to assess their effect on traits of metabolic syndrome.Results: Ethanol extracts showed at least 30 % inhibition of pancreatic lipase in vitro but no effect on α- glucosidase activity. Administration of the aqueous extracts caused significant reduction in liver triglycerides (except for LE). Muscle triglycerides and fat were also reduced, with the most pronounced effect elicited by LE. Urinary glucose excretion and plasma triglycerides, but not hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, were reduced by UM compared to control.Conclusion: This exploratory study indicates that UM may be considered a candidate for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Keywords: Kenyan traditional medicine, High-fat diet, High fructose, Insulin resistance, Triglycerides, Diabetes, Liver steatosis

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