Prebiotic and Immunomodulatory Properties of the Microalga <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> and Its Synergistic Triglyceride-Lowering Effect with Bifidobacteria

oleh: Ivana Hyrslova, Gabriela Krausova, Jana Smolova, Barbora Stankova, Tomas Branyik, Hana Malinska, Martina Huttl, Antonin Kana, Ivo Doskocil, Ladislav Curda

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-07-01

Deskripsi

The microalga <i>Chlorella</i> and strains of <i>Bifidobacterium</i> have been used in human or animal food supplements for decades because of their positive health effects. The presented study assessed different properties of <i>C. vulgaris</i> and its combination with bifidobacteria with the aim to develop new functional foods. The growth of four bifidobacteria strains in milk and whey supplemented with 1.0% (<i>w/v</i>) <i>C. vulgaris</i> and the immunomodulatory effects of aqueous <i>Chlorella</i> solutions (0.5%, 1.0%, and 3.0%) on human peripheral mononuclear cells were evaluated. Furthermore, synergistic effects on lipid metabolism of rats fed a high-fat diet with <i>Chlorella</i> and <i>B. animalis</i> subsp. <i>lactis</i> BB-12<sup>®</sup> were analysed. <i>Chlorella</i> had a positive growth-promoting effect on the tested bifidobacteria (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and significantly increased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10, and interleukin-6), depending on the concentration of <i>Chlorella</i> (<i>p</i> < 0.05). After 8 weeks, significant synergistic effects of <i>Chlorella</i> and bifidobacteria on triglyceride levels in rat heart, liver, and serum were observed (<i>p</i> < 0.05). These results demonstrate that various combinations of <i>Chlorella</i> and bifidobacteria have significant potential for the development of new fermented products, dependent on the algal species, probiotic strain, application form, and concentrations for acceptable sensory quality for consumers.