Ocimum sanctum , Zingiber officinale, and Piper nigrum extracts and their effects on gut microbiota modulations (prebiotic potential), basal inflammatory markers and lipid levels: oral supplementation study in healthy rats

Abstract

Context Ocimum sanctum Linn (Labiatae) (OS), Zingiber officinale Rose (Zingiberaceae) (ZO), and Piper nigrum Linn (Piperaceae) (PN) are used in traditional medicine as immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, and bioavailability enhancer agents. Objective Active phytoconstituents of OS, ZO, PN hydro-alcoholic extracts and their effects on gut microbiota, basal inflammation and lipid profile were investigated in rats. Materials and methods Active phytoconstituents of extracts were analysed using HPLC and GC-MS. SD rats were supplemented with individual/combined extracts (OS-850; ZO-500; PN-100 mg/kg Bw) and Fructooligosaccharide (standard prebiotic-5g/kg-Bw), orally for 30 days. Haematology, lipid profile, LPS, CRP, IL-6, insulin and histology of vital organs were analysed. Caecal bacterial levels were assessed by RT-PCR. Results High content of phenolic compounds luteolin-7- O -glucoside (430 ± 2.3 mg/100g), gallic acid (84.13 ± 1.2 mg/100 g) and flavones (88.18 ± 1.8 mg/100 g) were found in OS, ZO, and PN, respectively. Combined extract was rich in luteolin-7- O -glucoside (266.0 ± 1.80 mg/100 g). Essential oils including methyleugenol (13.96%), 6-shogaol (11.00%), piperine (18.26%), and cyclopentasiloxane (10.06%) were higher in OS, ZO, PN and combined extract. Higher levels of caecal Lactobacillus (1.7–3.4-fold), Bifidobacterium (5.89-28.4-fold), and lower levels of Firmicutes (0.04–0.91-fold), Bacteroides (0.69–0.88-fold) were noted among extracts and FOS supplemented rats. Significant ( p < 0.05) decrease in plasma lipid profile and LPS was noted in all supplemented rats. Discussion and conclusions The current study could be first of its kind in exploring prebiotic potential of OS, ZO, PN and their effect on native gut bacterial population.

Supplementation of ginger root extract into broiler chicken diet: effects on growth performance and immunocompetence

“…The relationship between the increase in these beneficial bacteria in the gut and improvement in overall health and growth performance of livestock and humans has been widely reported. More so, the presence of oligosaccharides in bioactive compounds has been reported to be responsible for their contribution to the increase of beneficial bacteria in the gut ( Markowiak and Śliżewska, 2017 ; Kondapalli et al, 2022 ).…”

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“…In Kondapalli et al (2022) [ 66 ], the administration of Piper nigrum extract to healthy rats enhanced the relative abundance of gut beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium while decreasing Clostridium species.…”

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“…Likewise, in vivo analysis of the extracts of the same plant species on healthy SD rats for 30 days showed profuse growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and inhibited growth of harmful microbes such as Firmicutes and Bacteroides spp. In these studies, 100, 500, and 850 mg/kg-Bw of hydroalcoholic extracts of Piper nigrum, Zingiber officinale, and Ocimum sanctum, respectively, were used against 5 g/kg body weight of the standard prebiotic, fructo-oligosaccharides [74].…”

“…Their ability to selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial microbes while inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria underscores their potential as valuable prebiotic agents [72]. Polyphenols such as gallic acid, apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, 3-hydroxy benzaldehyde, and ferulic acid were identified in these plant species (Piper nigrum, Zingiber officinale, and Ocimum sanctum) [73,74].…”