Biological effects of tiger nut tubers Cyperus esculentus L. associated or not with probiotic bacteria

Abstract

This study assesses the biological impact of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) tuber extract associated or not to the probiotic strain Lasticaseibacillus rhamnosus SL42. The tiger nut flour was used to make dietary cookies for people with diabetes. In the first part of this thesis, the flour's bioactive components were identified using physicochemical, rheological, and functional analysis. Our findings revealed an abundance of lipids, proteins, mineral salts, and phenolic compounds. Following that, cookies made from 100% tiger nut flour with no sugar added, enriched or not with the strain imbedded in honey syrup (5%), were made. The panelists certified this formulation following extensive organoleptic analyses after one and 15 days of storage at 25°C. A SEM study of the cookies soaked in syrup revealed that SL42 adhered to the surface of the cookies, and the microbial count confirmed its survival at an appreciable load after 21 days of storage. Thus, our cookies met international standards and were suitable for diabetic patients. The second part of this thesis investigated the therapeutic impact of tiger nut extract on vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) in an in vivo model of Wistar rats. An intimate gel containing the hydro-ethanolic extract and the beads of the probiotic strain SL42, was proposed. Preliminary microbiological study indicated the minimum inhibitory concentration of tiger nut extract to be employed in the gel. Histological results revealed that SL42 alone and the intimate gel both had good antifungal activity against Candida albicans 10231, regenerating healthy epithelial tissue after 7 days of therapy. The inclusion of our SL42 probiotic isolate had a cooperative effect on maintaining the vaginal mucosa's homeostasis. More in-depth research is required to demonstrate the long-term efficacy of both formulations.