Reference Number: 429
Year: 2018
Link: Link to original paper
Health: Gut Microbiome
Nutrition: Antioxidants | Polyphenols
Inclusions: Berries
Summary
Scope: This study examines the beneficial effects of Goji berry against spontaneous colitis and its prebiotic role in IL-10-deficient mice.
Methods: IL-10-deficient mice are assigned to a standard rodent diet (control) or a control diet supplemented with Goji (1% of dry feed weight) for 10 weeks, at which point colonic tissues and fecal contents are collected.
Results: Goji supplementation decreases colonic pathobiological scores and mRNA expression of Il17a and Tgfb1, while it enhances Muc1 expression and fecal IgA content. Illumina MiSeq sequencing reveals that Goji supplementation increases Actinobacteria phylum, resulting in a bloom of Bifidobacteria in gut microbiota. Additionally, dietary Goji promotes butyrate-producing bacteria including Lachnospiraceae-Ruminococcaceae family and Roseburia spp. under Clostridium cluster XIVa. Furthermore, butyrate-producers Clostridium leptum and its dominant constituent Fecalibacterium prazusnitzii are markedly increased in the Goji group. Moreover, the gene-encoding butyryl-coenzyme A CoA transferase, a key enzyme responsible for butyrate synthesis in butyrate-producing bacteria, is increased sixfold in the fecal samples of Goji group associated with increased fecal butyrate content.
Conclusion: Data collectively show that dietary Goji results in the blooming of Bifidobacteria and butyrate-producing bacteria. These bacteria may cross-feed each other, conferring preventative effects against colitis in IL-10-deficient mice.
Significance to the sourdough baker:
Goji berries can be added to the botanical blends. The research shows that dietary Goji promotes growth of Bifidobacterium and other butyrate-producing bacteria including Lachnospiraceae-Ruminococcaceae family and Roseburia spp. The Goji berry has good antioxidant potential too and has been linked to protecting brain cells and therefore risk of age-related neurodegeneration.