Grape Skin Prebiotic for Butyrate-Producing Gut Bacteria
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to address intestinal dysbiosis characterized by decreased levels and reduced activity of butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia hominis, and Subdoligranulum variabile, which are associated with intestinal and extra-intestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome.
Innovation Solution
The use of grape skin or a composition comprising it as a prebiotic to increase the intestinal levels and activity of these butyrate-producing bacteria, potentially combined with probiotics, prebiotics, or narrow-spectrum antibiotics, to treat intestinal dysbiosis and related diseases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional prebiotics like inulin or citrus pectin are used, then some beneficial bacteria may be stimulated, but F. prausnitzii specifically fails to grow or is not effectively increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical structure of pectin from citrus sources to apple pectin, which has different galacturonic acid linkage characteristics. This structural parameter change enables F. prausnitzii to effectively utilize the substrate, resolving the contradiction between substrate availability and bacterial growth effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes grape skin, an agricultural byproduct, as a prebiotic substrate. This disposable material that would otherwise be discarded is transformed into an effective prebiotic for F. prausnitzii, combining cost-effectiveness with targeted bacterial stimulation.
2Quantity of substance
If grape skin is used as prebiotic, then F. prausnitzii levels increase effectively, but the mechanism of action was previously unknown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms by measuring F. prausnitzii levels and metabolic activity before and after grape skin administration. This quantitative feedback confirms the effectiveness of grape skin as a prebiotic and provides data to understand the dose-response relationship and mechanism of action.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Grape skin effectively enhances the intestinal levels and activity of butyrate-producing bacteria, thereby improving gut health and reducing symptoms of intestinal dysbiosis and associated inflammatory conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The major fermentable component of grape skin fiber has been described to be pectin
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the use of grape skin or a composition comprising it as prebiotic for increasing the intestinal levels and/or activity of butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, F. prausnitzii phylogroup I (PHGI), F. prausnitzii phylogroup II (PHGII), Roseburia hominis and Subdoligranulum variabile, in a subject. More specifically it refers to grape skin or a composition comprising it for use in a method of treating intestinal dysbiosis in a subject, wherein intestinal dysbiosis is characterized by a decrease of butyrate-producing bacteria levels and/or activity. In addition, it pertains to grape skin or a composition comprising it for use in a method of treating an inflammatory or non-inflammatory intestinal disease in a subject having reduced levels and/or reduced activity of butyrate-producing bacteria.