METHODS: Endophytic bacteria were isolated from the leaves of L. leucocephala and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to establish their identity. The in vitro antioxidant effect of endophytic crude extract (LL) was evaluated using 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging methods. The in vitro antidiabetic properties of LL were evaluated using α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition assay.
RESULTS: The isolated endophytic bacteria were identified as Cronobacter sakazakii. LL displayed potent free radical scavenging effect against ABTS and DPPH radicals with an inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) value of 17.49 ± 0.06 and 11.3 ± 0.1 μg/mL respectively. LL exhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC50 value of 23.3 ± 0.08 and 23.4 ± 0.1 μg/mL respectively compared to the standard drug (acarbose). Both glucose loaded normoglycemic rats and STZ induced diabetic rats treated with LL (200 mg/kg) exhibited a considerable reduction in blood glucose levels p<0.01 after 8 h of treatment when compared to normal and diabetic control rats respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the study shows that LL has a wellspring of natural source of antioxidants, and antidiabetic agents and phytoconstituents present in endophytes could be the rich source for bioactive compounds.
AREAS COVERED: The differential bacterial composition identified from BEVs isolated from biofluids between patients and healthy controls may be valuable for detecting diseases. Therefore, BEVs may serve as novel diagnostic markers. Literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted. In this special report, we outline the commonly used approach for investigating BEVs in biofluids, the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of V3-V4 hypervariable regions, and the recent studies exploring the potential of BEVs as biomarkers for various diseases.
EXPERT OPINION: The emerging field of BEVs offers new possibilities for the diagnosis of various types of diseases, although there remain issues that need to be resolved in this research area to implement BEVs in clinical applications. Hence, it is important for future studies to take these challenges into consideration when investigating the diagnostic value of BEVs.
ANIMALS: A convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora registered crocodile farm, provided a healthy male saltwater crocodile, Crocodylus porosus for this study.
PROCEDURES: Three samples were taken from the oral cavity, 3 samples from the proximal region of the small intestine (jejunum), and 3 samples from the distal part of the large intestine of the gastrointestinal tract of C. porosus were obtained using sterile cotton swabs. Next, swabs were placed in 15 mL sterile centrifuge tubes, individually, and kept on ice for immediate transportation to the laboratory. This was followed by 16S rRNA gene analysis using specific primers (341F-CCTAYGGGRBGCASCAG, and 806R-GGACTACNNGGGTATCTAAT). Amplicons were sequenced on Illumina paired-end platform, and bacterial gastrointestinal communities, the relative abundance of taxa, and principal component and coordinate analysis were performed.
RESULTS: The findings revealed that bacterial community structures from differing regions exhibited several differences. The number of observed bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was 153 in the oral cavity, 239 in the small intestine, and 119 in the large intestine of C. porosus. The small intestine reflects the highest richness. In contrast, the large intestine exhibited the least richness of microbial communities. Relative abundance of taxa showed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were dominant in all 3 sample sites. Pseudomonas differed in the oral cavity and the large intestine, with the latter exhibiting less distribution of Pseudomonas. Stenotrophomonas and Castellaniella were higher in the oral cavity, while the relative abundance of Comamonas and Salmonella was higher in the small intestine. Conversely, the relative abundance of Salmonella and Pannonibacter was augmented in the large intestine.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For the first time, this study demonstrates the bacterial diversity along the segments of the gastrointestinal tract of C. porosus. Bacterial flora varies throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Although further studies using large cohorts are warranted; however, our findings suggest that microbiome composition may have the potential as a biomarker in determining the overall health and well-being of C. porosus.