Abstract
Antibiotic misuse is greatly contributing to an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans and animals. Natural and synthetic alternative strategies are being investigated in human and veterinary medicine, but little attention is paid to the antimicrobial effects of edible lipids, such as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and monoglycerides. Among MCFAs, lauric acid (LA) and its monoglyceride derivative, glycerol monolaurate (GML), exhibit the strongest antimicrobial activity. Coconut and palm kernel oils are considered the main sources of LA. On the other hand, some edible insects (e.g., Hermetia illucens) are gaining interest as novel feed ingredients, due to the high amount of LA they contain as well as their numerous bioactive components, which provide many additional benefits to animal health. Although the beneficial effect of both MCFAs and LA is gradually being recognized, their high content within insects and, consequently, their possible role as antimicrobials, has not been well-reported. This mini review focuses on the anti-infective effects of the insect-derived MCFAs LA and its derivatives. We emphasize the potential of insect lipids, compared to the other vegetable sources, in the current global scenario where a sustainable and circular economy is required. Finally, we critically discuss the use and the benefits of edible insects such as favorable options as feed and food from the perspective of animal and human nutrition.
Highlights
Natural and synthetic alternative strategies are being investigated in human and veterinary medicine, but little attention is paid to the antimicrobial effects of edible lipids, such as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and monoglycerides
Hemolymph cells are involved in cellular immune responses, while phenoloxidase, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and proteins belong to humoral innate response (Zdybicka-Barabas et al, 2017)
As we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing what our health systems look like, with limited treatments available to tackle an outbreak
Summary
A recent overview reports the emerging antimicrobial properties of fatty acids (FAs) and their relation to virulence and quorum sensing (QS), such as diffusible signal factors (DSFs), acyl-homoserine lactones, and autoinducer-2 systems. LA and GML represent the strongest antimicrobial agents in mammalian milk, they are found in other natural sources such as coconut oil and are often used as nutritional supplements (Lieberman et al, 2006; Dayrit, 2015; Kim and Rhee, 2016) Due to their amphipathic properties, MCFAs exhibit an antimicrobial activity through a membrane-lytic behavior causing increased cell permeability and cell lysis. GML inhibits the production of staphylococcal toxic shock toxin-1 effectively and the expression of virulence factors including protein A, alpha-hemolysin, β-lactamase, and the induction of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecalis by interfering with signal transduction (Projan et al, 1994; Ruzin and Novick, 2000). Fatty acids have great potential and their combination with antimicrobials could reduce multidrugresistant bacteria (Kumar et al, 2020)
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