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. 2022 Dec;60(1):437-450.
doi: 10.1080/13880209.2022.2033797.

Ocimum sanctum, Zingiber officinale, and Piper nigrum extracts and their effects on gut microbiota modulations (prebiotic potential), basal inflammatory markers and lipid levels: oral supplementation study in healthy rats

Narendra Babu Kondapalli  1 , Rajkumar Hemalatha  1 , Satyanarayana Uppala  2 , Srinivas Reddy Yathapu  1 , Shujauddin Mohammed  1 , Mullapudi Venkata Surekha  3 , Ananthan Rajendran  4 , Dinesh Kumar Bharadwaj  5
Affiliations

Ocimum sanctum, Zingiber officinale, and Piper nigrum extracts and their effects on gut microbiota modulations (prebiotic potential), basal inflammatory markers and lipid levels: oral supplementation study in healthy rats

Narendra Babu Kondapalli et al. Pharm Biol. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Context: Ocimum sanctum Linn (Labiatae) (OS), Zingiber officinale Rose (Zingiberaceae) (ZO), and Piper nigrum Linn (Piperaceae) (PN) are used in traditional medicine as immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, and bioavailability enhancer agents.

Objective: Active phytoconstituents of OS, ZO, PN hydro-alcoholic extracts and their effects on gut microbiota, basal inflammation and lipid profile were investigated in rats.

Materials and methods: Active phytoconstituents of extracts were analysed using HPLC and GC-MS. SD rats were supplemented with individual/combined extracts (OS-850; ZO-500; PN-100 mg/kg Bw) and Fructooligosaccharide (standard prebiotic-5g/kg-Bw), orally for 30 days. Haematology, lipid profile, LPS, CRP, IL-6, insulin and histology of vital organs were analysed. Caecal bacterial levels were assessed by RT-PCR.

Results: High content of phenolic compounds luteolin-7-O-glucoside (430 ± 2.3 mg/100g), gallic acid (84.13 ± 1.2 mg/100 g) and flavones (88.18 ± 1.8 mg/100 g) were found in OS, ZO, and PN, respectively. Combined extract was rich in luteolin-7-O-glucoside (266.0 ± 1.80 mg/100 g). Essential oils including methyleugenol (13.96%), 6-shogaol (11.00%), piperine (18.26%), and cyclopentasiloxane (10.06%) were higher in OS, ZO, PN and combined extract. Higher levels of caecal Lactobacillus (1.7-3.4-fold), Bifidobacterium (5.89-28.4-fold), and lower levels of Firmicutes (0.04-0.91-fold), Bacteroides (0.69-0.88-fold) were noted among extracts and FOS supplemented rats. Significant (p < 0.05) decrease in plasma lipid profile and LPS was noted in all supplemented rats.

Discussion and conclusions: The current study could be first of its kind in exploring prebiotic potential of OS, ZO, PN and their effect on native gut bacterial population.

Keywords: Herbal extracts on endotoxin; beneficial bacteria; essential oils; phenolic compounds; systemic inflammation.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
HPLC Chromatograms Polyphenol Standards and Extracts alone and combined and Retention Time %. (a) HPLC Chromatogram of polyphenol Standards and Retention Time. (b) HPLC Chromatogram of Ocimum sanctum polyphenols and Retention Time. (c) HPLC Chromatogram of Zingiber officinale polyphenols and Retention Time. (d) HPLC Chromatogram of Piper nigrum polyphenols and Retention Time. (e) HPLC Chromatogram of combined (O. Sanctum+ Z. officinale + P. nigrum) polyphenols and Retention Time.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Chemical composition of essential oils of Ocimum sanctum, Zingiber officinale and Piper nigrum. (2a) GC-MS Chromatogram of O. sanctum essential oils. (b) GC-MS Chromatogram of Zingiber officinale essential oils. (c) GC-MS Chromatogram of P. nigrum essential oils. (d) GC-MS Chromatogram of O. sanctum + Z. officinale +P. nigrum essential oils.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Chemical composition of essential oils of Ocimum sanctum, Zingiber officinale and Piper nigrum. (2a) GC-MS Chromatogram of O. sanctum essential oils. (b) GC-MS Chromatogram of Zingiber officinale essential oils. (c) GC-MS Chromatogram of P. nigrum essential oils. (d) GC-MS Chromatogram of O. sanctum + Z. officinale +P. nigrum essential oils.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Effect of O. sanctum, Z. officinale and P. nigrum on bodyweight and food intake.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Effect of O. sanctum, Z. officinale and P. nigrum on lipid profile.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Effect of O. sanctum, Z. officinale and P. nigrum on LPS.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Effect of O. sanctum, Z. officinale and P. nigrum on Caecal bacterial levels.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Effect of O. sanctum, Z. officinale and P. nigrum on histopathological observation of vital organs.
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