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This study aimed to improve the physicochemical performance of fish gelatin–based films. In this regard, the reinforced gelatin-based films were developed by covalent interaction with oxidized guar gum (OGG) containing green tea extract as an active food packaging system. The reinforced films were prepared by covalent crosslinking between the amino groups of gelatin and the aldehyde groups of OGG using the casting method. Then, the properties and structure of films were studied through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical properties, water solubility, moisture content (MC), and water vapor permeability (WVP) analyses. After the crosslinking between gelatin and OGG with a ratio of 2:1 (OGG 0.25% w/v): (gelatin 5% w/v), a significant ( p < 0.05) decrease was observed in solubility, moisture content, and water vapor permeability of film. The covalent bond formation between OGG and gelatin was also proved as successful by FTIR spectroscopy. The tensile strength of the optimized gelatin-OGG film (78.99 ± 0.4 MPa) was ~ 2-fold higher than that of the gelatin-GG film. Moreover, thermal stability of the optimized film was improved after crosslinking. The optimized film showed higher antioxidant activity due to the presence of green tea extract (0.5 and 1% w/v). The antimicrobial activities were also evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus as the gram-positive bacterium. The obtained results suggested that the optimized film could be considered as a good candidate to be used as an active food packaging system.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a soluble dietary fiber derived through controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of guar gum, a highly viscous galactomannan derived from the seeds of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. Here, we examined the therapeutic potential of dietary supplementation with PHGG against sarcopenic obesity using Db/Db mice. Db/Db mice fed a normal diet alone or a fiber-free diet, or supplemented with a diet containing PHGG (5%), were examined. PHGG increased grip strength and the weight of skeletal muscles. PHGG increased the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration in feces and sera. Concerning innate immunity, PHGG decreased the ratio of inflammatory cells, while increasing the ratio of anti-inflammatory cells in the small intestine. The present study demonstrated the preventive effect of PHGG on sarcopenic obesity. Changes in nutrient absorption might be involved through the promotion of an anti-inflammatory shift of innate immunity in the intestine accompanied by an increase in SCFA production by PHGG.

The synthesis of guar gum sulfates by a complex of sulfur trioxide with 1,4-dioxane was studied. The influence of temperature, process duration, and the volume of chlorosulfonic acid on the degree of substitution of guar gum sulfates was studied. The sulfation process has been optimized using the Box-Behnken design. It was shown that the optimal conditions for sulfation of guar gum with a complex of sulfur trioxide-1.4-dioxane: temperature 60 °C, duration 2.9 h, and a volume of chlorosulfonic acid of 3.1 ml. Sulfate groups embedding into the structure of guar gum was confirmed by elemental analysis and FTIR. The initial and sulfated guar gum were also characterized by methods: X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. Using X-ray diffraction, it was shown that amorphization of guar gum occurs during sulfation. Using scanning electron microscopy, it was shown that the morphology of guar gum changes in the process of sulfation. Using gel permeation chromatography, it was shown in the process of guar gum sulfation by a complex of sulfur trioxide with 1,4-dioxane, the molecular weight decreases from 600 to 176 kDa. The geometric parameters of all complexes were carried out by using the DFT/B3PW91 method with a 6-31 + G (d,p) basis set. These structures are optimized to predict the important properties of a theme. MEP with contour map has been performed to obtain the electronic properties. Frontier molecular orbital HOMO-LUMO orbital diagram has been obtained for different energy levels and their band gap energies have been computed.

Recent meta-analytic work indicated that guar gum supplementation might improve lipid profile markers in different populations. However, critical methodological limitations such as the use of some unreliable data and the lack of inclusion of several relevant studies, and the scarcity in assessments of regression and dose-specific effects make it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from the meta-analysis. Therefore, current evidence regarding the effects of guar gum supplementation on lipid profile remains unclear. The present systematic review, meta-regression and dose–response meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of guar gum supplementation on lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), LDL, TAG and HDL) in adults. Relevant studies were obtained by searching the PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase and Web of Science databases (from inception to September 2021). Weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95 % CI were estimated via a random-effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis and publication bias were reported using standard methods. Pooled analysis of nineteen randomised controlled trials (RCT) revealed that guar gum supplementation led to significant reductions in TC (WMD: −19·34 mg/dl, 95 % CI −26·18, −12·49, P < 0·001) and LDL (WMD: −16·19 mg/dl, 95 % CI −25·54, −6·83, P = 0·001). However, there was no effect on TAG and HDL among adults in comparison with control group. Our outcomes suggest that guar gum supplementation lowers TC and LDL in adults. Future large RCT on various populations are needed to show further beneficial effects of guar gum supplementation on lipid profile and establish guidelines for clinical practice.

Optimized production of Aspergillus niger ATCC 26011 endo-β-mannanase ( ManAn ) on copra meal resulted in 2.46-fold increase (10,028 U/gds). Purified ManAn (47 kDa) showed high affinity towards guar gum (GG) as compared to konjac gum and locust bean gum with K m 2.67, 3.25 and 4.07 mg/mL, respectively. ManAn efficiently hydrolyzed GG and liberated mannooligosaccharides (MOS). Changes occurring in the rheological and compositional aspects of GG studied using Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed increased thermal stability and crystallinity of the partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG). Parametric optimization of the time and temperature dependent hydrolysis of GG (1% w/v) with 100 U/mL of ManAn at 60 °C and pH: 5.0 resulted in 12.126 mg/mL of mannotetraose (M4) in 5 min. Enhanced growth of probiotics Lactobacilli and production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that inhibited enteropathogens, confirmed the prebiotic potential of PHGG and M4.

An ideal wound dressing material needs to be predisposed with desirable attributes like anti-infective effect, skin hydration balance, adequate porosity and elasticity, high mechanical strength, low wound surface adherence, and enhanced tissue regeneration capability. In this work, we have synthesized hydrogel-based wound patches having antibacterial silver nanoparticles and antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and showed fast wound closure through their synergistic interaction without any inherent toxicity. Wound patches were synthesized from modified guar gum polymer and assessed to determine accelerated wound healing. The modified polymer beget chemical-free in-situ synthesis of monodispersed silver NPs (~12 nm), an antimicrobial agent, besides lending ionic surface charges. EGCG impregnated during ionotropic gelation process amplified the efficacy of wound patches that possess apt tensile strength, porosity, and swellability for absorbing wound exudates. Further, in vitro studies endorsed them as non-cytotoxic and the post agent effect following exposure to the patch showed an unbiased response to K12 and . In vivo study using sub-cutaneous wounds in Wistar rats validated its accelerated healing properties when compared to a commercially available wound dressing material (skin graft; Neuskin-F ) through better wound contraction, promoted collagen deposition and enhanced vascularization of wound region by modulating growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Synthesized wound patches showed all the desired attributes of a clinically effective dressing material and the results were validated in various in vitro and in vivo assays.

Diarrhea is a global problem that causes economic losses in the pig industry. There is a growing attention on finding new alternatives to antibiotics to solve this problem. Hence, this study aimed to compare the prebiotic activity of low-molecular-weight hydrolyzed guar gum (GMPS) with commercial manno-oligosaccharide (MOS) and galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS). We further identified their combined effects along with probiotic Clostridium butyricum on regulating the intestinal microbiota of diarrheal piglet by in vitro fermentation. All the tested non-digestible carbohydrates (NDCs) showed favorable short-chain fatty acid-producing activity, and GOS and GMPS showed the highest production of lactate and butyrate, respectively. After 48 h of fermentation, the greatest enhancement in the abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1 was observed with the combination of GMPS and C. butyricum. Notably, all the selected NDCs significantly decreased the abundances of pathogenic bacteria genera Escherichia-Shigella and Fusobacterium and reduced the production of potentially toxic metabolites, including ammonia nitrogen, indole, and skatole. These findings demonstrated that by associating with the chemical structure, GMPS exhibited butyrogenic effects in stimulating the proliferation of C. butyricum. Thus, our results provided a theoretical foundation for further application of galactosyl and mannosyl NDCs in the livestock industry.Key points• Galactosyl and mannosyl NDCs showed selective prebiotic effects.• GMPS, GOS, and MOS reduced pathogenic bacteria and toxic metabolites production.• GMPS specifically enhanced the Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and butyrate production.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water-soluble dietary fiber and is used in solid and liquid food to regulate gut function. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of PHGG on bowel movements (stool form and frequency), plasma bile acids, quality of life, and gut microbiota of healthy volunteers with a tendency toward diarrhea, i.e., irritable bowel syndrome diarrhea (IBS-D)-like symptoms. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and parallel trial was performed on 44 healthy volunteers (22 males, 22 females, 41.9 ± 6.3 years old (average ± SD)) with minimum 7 bowel movements every week, wherein above 50% of their stool was between the Bristol stool scale (BSS) value of 5 and 6. Intake of the PHGG for 3 months significantly improved stool form, evaluated using BSS, and had no effects on stool frequency. BSS was significantly normalized in the group consuming the PHGG compared with the placebo. Comprehensive fecal microbiome analysis by the 16S rRNA-sequence method detected significant changes in the ratio of some bacteria, such as an increase of Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05) in the PHGG group. Our results suggest that intake of PHGG improves human stool form via regulating intestinal microbiota.

Skin loss is the rapidly growing problem that is caused by the trauma, burns and ulcers which results in the skin cells death and hinders the regeneration process. 3D printing is a fascinating technology that could produce the skin constructs according to the desired skin geometry and provides cell adherence. Herein, we developed a novel combination of ink composed of oxidized guar gum (OGG), agar–agar (AA), and salvianolic acid (SA) for 3D direct ink write printing. The ink was customized to form a homogeneous blend, and the blend showed a favorable shear thinning behavior with the flow behavior index “ n ” value of 0.21 as determined by the rheological characterization. The 3D printed scaffold showed a rough and interconnected porous structure and a favorable layer fidelity observed from the optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of all the chemical bonds associated with the OGG, AA, and SA. The scaffold depicted hydrophilic character and swell upon immersion in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS), as determined by contact angle measurements and swelling ratio. The scaffold depicted a biodegradable behavior (weight loss ~ 69% at day 7) and the effective SA release (~ 71% at day 14). The scaffold depicted an inhibition zone of 18 mm against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus) and 15 mm against Escherichia coli ( E. coli) which proved the antibacterial efficacy of the scaffold. The scaffold showed a cytocompatible behavior with the cell viability of ~ 103% at day 7 observed by water-soluble tetrazolium (WST)—8 assay and promotes the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which proved that the fabricated scaffolds promoted new vessels forming ability from the existing vessels. Hence, 3D printed OGG/AA/SA scaffold is a worthful candidate to treat severe skin burns/wounds. Graphical Abstract

(1) Background: Alterations in the structural composition of the human gut microbiota have been identified in various disease entities along with exciting mechanistic clues by reductionist gnotobiotic modeling. Improving health by beneficially modulating an altered microbiota is a promising treatment approach. Prebiotics, substrates selectively used by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit, are broadly used for dietary and clinical interventions. Herein, we sought to investigate the microbiota-modelling effects of the soluble fiber, partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG). (2) Methods: We performed a 9 week clinical trial in 20 healthy volunteers that included three weeks of a lead-in period, followed by three weeks of an intervention phase, wherein study subjects received 5 g PHGG up to three times per day, and concluding with a three-week washout period. A stool diary was kept on a daily basis, and clinical data along with serum/plasma and stool samples were collected on a weekly basis. PHGG-induced alterations of the gut microbiota were studied by 16S metagenomics of the V1–V3 and V3–V4 regions. To gain functional insight, we further studied stool metabolites using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. (3) Results: In healthy subjects, PHGG had significant effects on stool frequency and consistency. These effects were paralleled by changes in α- (species evenness) and β-diversity (Bray–Curtis distances), along with increasing abundances of metabolites including butyrate, acetate and various amino acids. On a taxonomic level, PHGG intake was associated with a bloom in Ruminococcus, Fusicatenibacter, Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides and a reduction in Roseburia, Lachnospiracea and Blautia. The majority of effects disappeared after stopping the prebiotic and most effects tended to be more pronounced in male participants. (4) Conclusions: Herein, we describe novel aspects of the prebiotic PHGG on compositional and functional properties of the healthy human microbiota.