No abstract

Panax quinquefolium L. (American Ginseng, AG) is an herb characteristic for regions of North America and Asia. Due to its beneficial properties it has been extensively investigated for decades. Nowadays, it is one of the most commonly applied medical herbs worldwide. Active compounds of AG are ginsenosides, saponins of the glycosides group that are abundant in roots, leaves, stem, and fruits of the plant. Ginsenosides are suggested to be primarily responsible for health-beneficial effects of AG. AG acts on the nervous system; it was reported to improve the cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, display anxiolytic activity, and neuroprotective effects against neuronal damage resulting from ischemic stroke in animals, demonstrate anxiolytic activity, and induce neuroprotective effects against neuronal damage in ischemic stroke in animals. Administration of AG leads to inhibition of hypertrophy in heart failure by regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mice as well as depletion of cardiac contractile function in rats. It also has an anti-diabetic and anti-obesity potential as it increases insulin sensitivity and inhibits formation of adipose tissue. AG displays anti-cancer effect by induction of apoptosis of cancer cells and reducing local inflammation. It exerts antimicrobial effects against several pathogenic strains of bacteria. Therefore, AG presents a high potential to induce beneficial health effects in humans and should be further explored to formulate precise nutritional recommendations, as well as to assess its value in prevention and therapy of some disorders, including cancer.

Numerous honeybee (Apis mellifera) products, such as honey, propolis, and bee venom, are used in traditional medicine to prevent illness and promote healing. Therefore, this insect has a huge impact on humans’ way of life and the environment. While the population of A. mellifera is large, there is concern that widespread commercialization of beekeeping, combined with environmental pollution and the action of bee pathogens, has caused significant problems for the health of honeybee populations. One of the strategies to preserve the welfare of honeybees is to better understand and protect their natural microbiota. This paper provides a unique overview of the latest research on the features and functioning of A. mellifera. Honeybee microbiome analysis focuses on both the function and numerous factors affecting it. In addition, we present the characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as an important part of the gut community and their special beneficial activities for honeybee health. The idea of probiotics for honeybees as a promising tool to improve their health is widely discussed. Knowledge of the natural gut microbiota provides an opportunity to create a broad strategy for honeybee vitality, including the development of modern probiotic preparations to use instead of conventional antibiotics, environmentally friendly biocides, and biological control agents.

Three Lactobacillus strains (LOCK 0900, LOCK 0908, LOCK 0919) out of twenty-four isolates were selected according to their antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria, resistance to low pH and milieu of bile salts. Intragastric administration of a mixture of these strains to Balb/c mice affected cytokine T(H)1-T(H)2 balance toward nonallergic T(H)1 response. Spleen cells, isolated from lactobacilli-treated mice and re-stimulated in vitro with the mixture of heat-inactivated tested strains, produced significantly higher amounts of anti-allergic tumor necrosis factor- and interferon-gamma than control animals whereas the level of pro-allergic interleukin-5 was significantly lower. Lactobacillus cells did not translocate through the intestinal barrier into blood, liver and spleen; a few Lactobacillus cells found in mesenteric lymph nodes could create antigenic reservoir activating the immune system. The mixture of Lactobacillus LOCK 0900, LOCK 0908 and LOCK 0919 strains represents a probiotic bacterial preparation with possible use in prophylaxis and/or therapy of allergic diseases.

No abstract