Atividade Biológica Da Goma Do Cajueiro E Sua Degradação Em Modelo De Infecção Por E.Coli Produtora Da Toxina Da Shiga O157:H7

Abstract

Diarrhea is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by the occurrence of three or more bowel movements per day, representing a significant public health problem due to its high morbidity and mortality rates. This condition can be associated with various factors, including bacteria such as Escherichia coli producing Shiga toxin (STEC), which produces a toxin capable of causing damage to the host, such as diarrhea. As such, its treatment remains challenging, as patients need to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost during the infectious process. Therefore, alternative treatment strategies have been investigated, including the use of cashew gum (CG), which possesses pharmacological effects that may aid in the treatment of diarrhea. Furthermore, it contains structures that can undergo modifications, such as degradation, leading to the formation of an oligosaccharide. Promising studies have demonstrated that this oligosaccharide may have beneficial effects in treating diarrhea and protecting against pathogens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of cashew gum and its derivative, the cashew gum oligosaccharide (GCD48H), in a E. coli O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing infection model. Following the extraction of cashew gum and its oligosaccharide, characterization was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and titration. For the biological assays, animals were pretreated by gavage with saline, CG (1,200 mg/kg), and GCD48H (0.8 mg/kg) orally for 10 days. Subsequently, the animals were inoculated by gavage with 5 x 10^10 colony-forming units in 100 μL for three consecutive days, during which fecal samples were collected to assess the presence of blood, mucus, and diarrhea. The following day, the animals were euthanized, and samples from the cecum and other portions of the colon were removed and stored under appropriate conditions for histological analysis, including quantification of neutral mucins using Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and analysis of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The results revealed a potential protective effect of GCD48H against pathogens, observed both macroscopically through fecal analysis and microscopically through PAS staining. Additionally, a significant increase in SOD levels was observed in intestinal samples from animals infected with STEC. These findings suggest that GCD48H may attenuate parameters involved in the pathophysiology of STEC-induced intestinal infection, representing a promising therapeutic approach. However, further studies are necessary to confirm and validate these findings.