The impact of date palm fruits and their component polyphenols, on gut microbial ecology, bacterial metabolites and colon cancer cell proliferation

Abstract

The fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a rich source of dietary fibre and polyphenols. We have investigated gut bacterial changes induced by the whole date fruit extract (digested date extract; DDE) and its polyphenol-rich extract (date polyphenol extract; DPE) using faecal, pH-controlled, mixed batch cultures mimicking the distal part of the human large intestine, and utilising an array of microbial group-specific 16S rRNA oligonucleotide probes. Fluorescence microscopic enumeration indicated that there was a significant increase in the growth of bifidobacteria in response to both treatments, whilst whole dates also increased bacteroides at 24 h and the total bacterial counts at later fermentation time points when compared with DPE alone. Bacterial metabolism of whole date fruit led to the production of SCFA, with acetate significantly increasing following bacterial incubation with DDE. In addition, the production of flavonoid aglycones (myricetin, luteolin, quercetin and apigenin) and the anthocyanidin petunidin in less than 1 h was also observed. Lastly, the potential of DDE, DPE and metabolites to inhibit Caco-2 cell growth was investigated, indicating that both were capable of potentially acting as antiproliferative agents in vitro, following a 48 h exposure. This potential to inhibit growth was reduced following fermentation. Together these data suggest that consumption of date fruits may enhance colon health by increasing beneficial bacterial growth and inhibiting the proliferation of colon cancer cells. This is an early suggestion that date intake by humans may aid in the maintenance of bowel health and even the reduction of colorectal cancer development.

Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model

“…In vitro batch culture models are a quick, simple and cost effective method of mimicking changes in gut microbiota numbers and metabolism [64], although they lack key metabolic functions, such as host immunological interactions, intestinal absorption and physiological components, such as epithelial mucosa, that exist in the human colon. The sample size ( n = 3) is consistent with similar studies investigating polyphenols extracts [22,59], prebiotics [65,66] and fruits [43,67], with observed changes consistent with outcomes of human intervention studies [68]. Batch culture vessels contain a basal medium with limited carbohydrate and protein sources, therefore changes in microbiota composition and fermentation metabolites is known to be due to the added substrate, the apple varieties added to the vessels, even with different starting bacterial populations.…”

Phoenix dactyliferaProtects against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity

“…However, the most attention-grabbing effects are highlighted for its activities against various kinds of cancers. Its anticancerous, antiproliferative, and antiangiogenic activities are reported against mammary cancer [11], colon cancer, [26] and breast cancers [27].…”

In vitro fermentation and prebiotic potential of selected extracts from seaweeds and mushrooms

“…The human gastrointestinal tract represents a complex ecosystem where the available nutrients and the diverse microbiota will influence changes within the community (Roberfroid et al, 2010). Hence, to assess the possible importance that colonic catabolism of these extracts may have on human gut microbiota, in vitro batch culture fermentation experiments conducted with faecal inoculum from healthy volunteers, in order to observe changes in the main bacterial groups present within (Eid et al, 2014;S anchez-Pat an et al, 2012). The human colon is considered the most metabolically active site in the human body with over 1000 species of microorganisms reaching up to 10 12 e10 13 bacteria per gram dry weight (Roberfroid et al, 2010).…”