METHODS AND RESULTS: Body weight, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and fat accumulation were measured during 12 weeks of feeding and compared to mice fed with a normal chow (NC) and high-fat diet (HFD). Over a 12-week feeding period, PCHFD-fed mice exhibited substantial reductions in several metabolic syndrome-associated features. They had a lower rate of weight gain (p = 0.03) than the HFD-fed mice. Additionally, they displayed a notable 39.2% decrease in gonadal fat mass compared to HFD-fed mice (p = 0.003). HFD-fed mice showed impaired glucose tolerance when compared to NC-fed mice (p = 0.00). Conversely, PCHFD-fed mice showed a reduction in glucose intolerance to a level close to that of the NC-fed mice group (p = 0.01). These positive effects extended to reductions in hepatic steatosis and adipocyte hypertrophy.
CONCLUSION: These results indicated that L. brevis strain NJ42, isolated from H. itama honey, is a prospective probiotic to lower the risk of developing metabolic syndrome features induced by a high-fat diet. These positive findings suggest the prospect of enriching commonly consumed dietary components such as cheese with probiotic attributes, potentially offering an accessible means to alleviating the symptoms of metabolic diseases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 240 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly distributed among five dietary treatment groups; they received a diet supplemented with a synbiotic product (probiotic [Lactobacillus johnsonii] at least 1.0 × 108 colony-forming unit/mg with prebiotic [by-product of phycocyanin extraction]) at 0.000%, 0.025%, 0.050%, 0.075%, and 0.100%. We investigated the effects of dietary synbiotic supplements on the growth performance, meat quality, intestinal morphology, and cecal bacterial population of broiler chickens aged 35 days.
RESULTS: Synbiotics used as a dietary supplement did not affect the growth performance of broilers during any experimental period (p > 0.05); however, it significantly increased the redness of meat and decreased the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances on days 3 and 7 of storage (p < 0.05). Moreover, synbiotics significantly improved the height and surface area of villi in the duodenum and jejunum (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that dietary supplementation with 0.1% synbiotics, incorporating a by-product of phycocyanin extraction, did not significantly influence the growth performance of broiler chickens. However, it positively affected meat quality by increasing redness and reducing lipid oxidation during storage. Additionally, synbiotic supplementation significantly enhanced intestinal health by improving the villi height and surface area in the duodenum and jejunum, highlighting its potential benefits for broiler intestinal morphology and meat quality in tropical climates. Further research is recommended to explore the mechanisms underlying these effects and their implications for long-term poultry health and productivity.
RESULTS: Sequence data were obtained for both A. dorsata and H. itama. The raw sequence data for A. dorsata was 5 Mb, which was assembled into 5 contigs with a size of 6,098,728 bp, an N50 of 15,534, and a GC average of 57.42. Similarly, the raw sequence data for H. itama was 6.3 Mb, which was assembled into 11 contigs with a size of 7,642,048 bp, an N50 of 17,180, and a GC average of 55.38. In the honey sample of A. dorsata, we identified five different plant/pollen species, with only one of the five species exhibiting a relative abundance of less than 1%. For H. itama, we identified seven different plant/pollen species, with only three of the species exhibiting a relative abundance of less than 1%. All of the identified plant species were native to Peninsular Malaysia, especially the East Coast area of Terengganu.
DATA DESCRIPTION: Our data offers valuable insights into honey's geographical and botanical origin and authenticity. Metagenomic studies could help identify the plant species that honeybees forage and provide preliminary data for researchers studying the biological development of A. dorsata and H. itama. The identification of various flowers from the eDNA of honey that are known for their medicinal properties could aid in regional honey with accurate product origin labeling, which is crucial for guaranteeing product authenticity to consumers.