This study evaluated in vitro the potential prebiotic effects of a freeze-dried juice extracted from cladodes of Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Weber ex K. Schum.) Bly. Ex Rowl, an unconventional edible plant from Brazilian Caatinga biome and popularly known as xique-xique. Prebiotic effects of freeze-dried xique-xique cladode juice (XCJ, 20 g/L) were evaluated by measurements of prebiotic activity scores and stimulatory effects on growth and metabolic activities of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05, L. casei L-26 and L. paracasei L-10, which are beneficial species found as part of human gut microbiota. XCJ showed positive prebiotic activity scores on all examined probiotics, indicating a selective stimulatory effect on these microorganisms in detriment to enteric pathogens. Examined probiotics had high viable counts (> 8 log CFU/mL) after 48 h of cultivation in media with XCJ (20 g/L), representing an increase of > 2 log CFU/mL when compared to viable counts found on time zero. Cultivation of probiotics in media with XCJ resulted in decreased pH during the 48 h-incubation. Contents of fructose and glucose decreased in media with XCJ inoculated with L. acidophilus LA-05, L. casei L-26 or L. paracasei L-10 during the 48 h-cultivation, in parallel with an increase in contents of acetic and lactic acids. Measured effects of XCJ on probiotics were overall similar to those exerted by fructoligosaccharides (20 g/L), a proven prebiotic ingredient. These results showed that XCJ could exert selective stimulatory effects on different Lactobacillus species, which are indicative of potential prebiotic properties.

本研究在体外评估了从Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Weber ex K. Schum.) Bly的枝条中提取的冻干果汁的潜在益生元作用。Ex Rowl，一种来自巴西卡廷加生物群落的非常规可食用植物，俗称 xique-xique。通过测量益生元活性评分以及对益生菌嗜酸乳杆菌LA-05、干酪乳杆菌L-26 和干酪乳杆菌L-26 的生长和代谢活动的刺激作用，评估冻干 Xique-Xique 枝条汁（XCJ，20 g/L）的益生元作用。副干酪乳杆菌L-10，这是作为人类肠道微生物群的一部分发现的有益物种。XCJ 在所有检查的益生菌上都显示出积极的益生元活性评分，表明对这些微生物具有选择性刺激作用，对肠道病原体有害。在含有 XCJ (20 g/L) 的培养基中培养 48 小时后，检查的益生菌具有高活菌数 (> 8 log CFU/mL)，与零时发现的活菌数相比，增加了 > 2 log CFU/mL。在含有 XCJ 的培养基中培养益生菌导致 48 小时孵育期间的 pH 值降低。在接种了嗜酸乳杆菌LA-05、干酪乳杆菌L-26 或副干酪乳杆菌的XCJ 培养基中果糖和葡萄糖的含量降低在 48 小时培养期间，L-10 与乙酸和乳酸含量的增加并行。XCJ 对益生菌的测量效果总体上类似于低聚果糖 (20 g/L)，一种经过验证的益生元成分。这些结果表明 XCJ 可以对不同的乳杆菌种类发挥选择性刺激作用，这表明了潜在的益生元特性。