Stevia Residue Research Articles

Improving gut functions and egg nutrition with stevia residue in laying hens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of stevia residue (STER) on the production performance, egg quality and nutrition, antioxidant ability, immune responses, gut morphology and microbiota of laying hens during the peak laying period. A total of 270 Yikoujingfen NO. 8 laying hens (35 wk of age) were randomly divided into 5 treatments. The control group fed a basal diet and groups supplemented with 2, 4, 6, and 8% STER. The results showed that STER significantly increased egg production, the content of amino acids (alanine, proline, valine, ornithine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and cysteine) in egg whites, and decreased the yolk color (P < 0.05). Additionally, STER significantly increased acetate, HOMOγ linolenic acid and cis-13, 16-docosadienoic acid levels in egg yolk (P < 0.05). IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 levels in serum significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05), while IL-1β significantly decreased (P < 0.05). STER also increased total antioxidant activity (T-AOC) in the liver and estradiol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05), but decreased the cortisol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05). For the intestinal morphology, the jejunal villus height and crypt-to-villus (V:C) significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05). STER increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota (P < 0.05), while deceased Proteobacteria, Desulfobacterota, and Synergistota (P < 0.05). In conclusion, STER improved egg production, quality and nutrition, improved the immune responses, antioxidant capabilities, estrogen level, gut morphology, and increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria while decreased the harmful bacteria. Among all treatments, 4 and 6% STER supplementation yielded the most favorable results in terms of enhancing production performance, egg nutrition, gut health, and immune capabilities in laying hens.

Dietary Stevia Residue Extract Supplementation Improves Antioxidant Capacity and Intestinal Microbial Composition of Weaned Piglets.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of diet supplementation with stevia residue extract (SRE) on growth performance, intestinal health, and antioxidant capacity of weaned piglets. A total of 144 weaned piglets (body weight 6.8 ± 0.5 kg) were randomly selected and allocated into four treatment groups with six replicates of six pigs/pen. The treatments consisted of a basal diet without SRE or basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg SRE. The results showed that the addition of 200 mg/kg SRE to the diet significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the diarrhea rate of piglets compared with the control group. The supplementation of 400 mg/kg SRE in the diet significantly reduced the piglets’ serum MDA content and significantly increased (p < 0.05) the T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH-PX activity in the serum. The dietary supplementation with 400 mg/kg SRE significantly increased (p < 0.05) the CAT and GSH-PX activity in the liver. Moreover, the supplementation of 400 mg/kg SRE in the diet significantly increased (p < 0.05) the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae (genus) and Roseburia (genus) beneficial bacteria compared to the control group. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that Prevotella (genus) abundance was positively correlated with liver GSH-PX activity and acetic acid content of colon contents. In conclusion, the supplementation of 400 mg/kg SRE to the diet can improve piglet health by regulating antioxidant reduction homeostasis, which may also be associated with an increase in the relative numbers of potentially beneficial bacteria.

Anti-inflammatory potential of stevia residue extract against uric acid-associated renal injury in mice.

Abnormal uric acid level result in the development of hyperuricemia and hallmark of various diseases, including renal injury, gout, cardiovascular disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver. This study was designed to explore the anti-inflammatory potential of stevia residue extract (STR) against hyperuricemia-associated renal injury in mice. The results revealed that STR at dosages of 150 and 300 mg/kg bw and allopurinol markedly modulated serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine in hyperuricemic mice. Serum and renal cytokine levels (IL-18, IL-6, IL-1Β, and TNF-α) were also restored by STR treatments. Furthermore, mRNA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis revealed that STR ameliorates UA (uric acid)-associated renal inflammation, fibrosis, and EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) via MMPS (matrix metalloproteinases), inhibiting NF-κB/NLRP3 activation by the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway and modulating the JAK2-STAT3 and Nrf2 signaling pathways. In summary, the present study provided experimental evidence that STR is an ideal candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia-mediated renal inflammation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The higher uric acid results in hyperuricemia and gout. The available options for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout are the use of allopurinol, and colchicine drugs, etc. These drugs possess several undesirable side effect. The polyphenolic compounds are abundantly present in plants, for example, stevia residue extract (STR) exert a positive effect on human health. From this study results, we can recommend that polyphenolic compounds enrich STR could be applied to develop treatment options for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

Dietary stevia residue extract supplementation improves the performance and antioxidative capacity of growing-finishing pigs.

Improper disposal of stevia residue causes environmental pollution and waste of resources. The extract of stevia residue is rich in chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acids, and has a great potential in livestock and poultry breeding. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary stevia residue extract (SRE) supplementation on the performance, meat quality, antioxidative capacity and gut microbiota in growing-finishing pigs. The results showed that increasing the concentration of SRE supplementation linearly increased (P < 0.05) body weight from day 1 to 35. Supplementation with SRE significantly increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) from day 1 to 75. 100 mgkg-1 SRE supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) hot carcass weight and gastric index. Moreover, increasing the concentration of SRE linearly increased (P < 0.05) the score of appearance of longissimus thoracis, as well as serum albumin, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol content. Further study found that increasing the concentration of SRE linearly increased (P < 0.05) serum total superoxide dismutase activity, and showed a significant quadratic relationship (P < 0.05) with activity of serum catalase, while linearly decreasing (P < 0.05) muscle malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Furthermore, supplementation with 100 mg kg-1 SRE significantly decreased (P < 0.05) serum MDA content, while 600 and 800 mg kg-1 SRE supplementation significantly decreased (P < 0.05) muscle MDA content. However, SRE supplementation had no significant effect on gut microbiota (P > 0.05). These data indicated that dietary SRE supplementation improves the performance and antioxidative capacity of growing-finishing pigs. We recommend that the optimal supplemental level of SRE in the diet of growing-finishing pigs is 100 mg kg-1 . © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Spore production in the solid-state fermentation of stevia residue by Trichoderma guizhouense and its effects on corn growth

Trichoderma is an important and widely used plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF). In this study, stevia residue amended with amino acids hydrolyzed from animal carcasses was used for the production of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU 4742 by solid-state fermentation, and then its potential to promote corn plant growth was evaluated in combination with chemical fertilizer (CF) or organic fertilizer (OF). The highest spore number of 7×109 CFU g−1 fresh weight was obtained under the following optimal parameters: material ratio of 50% (stevia residue:rice bran=1:1), pH value of 3.0 (amended with 6.67% amino acids), initial moisture content of 60%, inoculum size of 10%, material thickness of 3 cm and an incubation time of 4 days. The aboveground corn plant biomass obtained with T. guizhouense applied alone and with CF treatments were slightly higher than those of no fertilizer control and CF treatments, respectively. However, T. guizhouense applied with OF significantly (P<0.05) increased aboveground biomass compared to OF and yielded the highest aboveground biomass among all the treatments. Moreover, T. guizhouense applications primarily influenced the fungal bulk soil community composition, among which three OTUs (OTU_2 and OTU_9 classified as Chaetomium, and OTU_4 classified as Trichoderma) were stimulated in both bulk and rhizosphere soil. Notably, a specific OTU_3 (Phymatotrichopsis) was only stimulated by T. guizhouense applied with OF, possibly leading to high soil productivity. These results show that it is feasible to employ stevia residue in the eco-friendly fermentation of T. guizhouense, which is strongly suggested for enhancing OF applications.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with High Fiber (Stevia Residue) on the Fecal Flora of Pregnant Sows.

Simple SummaryThis study aimed to investigate the effects of different supplementation levels of stevia residues in high-fiber diets on the fecal microorganisms of pregnant sows. Stevia residue supplementation significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as g__Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group, g__Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and g__Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (p < 0.05), and significantly reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Treponema_2 (p < 0.05), at the genus level. The stevia-residue supplementation reduced the feed cost, with the highest reduction rate being 13.33%. In conclusion, high-fiber diets can improve the intestinal balance and evenness index of the intestinal flora in pregnant sows, promote the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, reduce the relative abundance of harmful bacteria, and reduce feed cost.This study aimed to investigate the effects of different supplementation levels of stevia residues in high-fiber diets on the fecal microorganisms of pregnant sows. Forty-eight first-farrowing Danish Landrace sows with similar weight, age, and due date were randomly divided into four groups. The control group was fed a normal diet (CON; 3.15% crude fiber content), and the treatment groups were supplemented with 20% stevia residue (SRL), 30% stevia residue (SRM), or 40% stevia residue (SRH) stevia residue, with crude fiber content of 7.79%, 9.15%, and 10.68%, respectively. The test period was 135 days, and Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing was used to test the fecal bacteria of the pregnant sows on day 56. Compared to the control group, species diversity was greater in the 30% stevia residue group. At the phylum level, Firmicutes and Spirochaetes had the greatest relative abundances; Firmicutes was most abundant in the SRM group, and Spirochaetes was most abundant in the CON group. At the genus level, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group, and Treponema_2 had the highest relative abundances in the stevia-residue treatments. Among them, Lactobacillus and Treponema_2 were more abundant in SRL, Streptococcus was more abundant in SRH, and Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group was more abundant in SRM. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed that the bacterial species differed among the stevia residue treatments. SRL mainly included g__Lactobacillus and g__Romboutsi, SRM mainly included g__Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group and g__Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014, SRH mainly included g__Streptococcus, and CON mainly included g__Treponema_2, f__Clostridiaceae_1, g__norank_f__Muribaculaceae, and g__norank_f__p_251_o5. Stevia-residue supplementation significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as g__Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group, g__Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and g__Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (p < 0.05), and significantly reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Treponema_2 (p < 0.05). Moreover, compared with the control group, the stevia-residues treatment groups reduced the feed cost 8.33%, 12.50%, and 13.33% per sow per day, respectively. In conclusion, high-fiber diets can improve the intestinal balance and evenness index of the intestinal flora in pregnant sows, promote the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, reduce the relative abundance of harmful bacteria, and reduce feed cost. The optimal supplementation level of the stevia residue was found to be 30%.

Renoprotective effect of stevia residue extract on adenine-induced chronic kidney disease in mice

• STRE markedly improve oxidative, inflammatory related biomarkers and renal structure. • STRE attenuated renal fibrosis in adenine-induced CKD mice. • STRE modulate gut microbiota composition at some extent in adenine induced CKD mice. The present study was performed to explore the renoprotective potential of a stevia residue extract (STRE) on a mouse model of adenine-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD). The mice were divided into five groups (n = 10): control, model, Po, STRE-1, and STRE-2. Adenine (0.20% in the normal diet for 3 weeks) was used to induce CKD. Allopurinol and STRE markedly restored the balance of functional, oxidative, and inflammatory biomarkers and improved the renal histopathology and ultrastructure compared to the Mod group. Moreover, STRE also attenuated the renal fibrosis by suppressing the TGF-β1/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathways and improved the gut microbiota composition. The results of present study confirmed that STRE has a potential to attenuate renal injury caused by adenine and may be used to develop of nutraceutical products, warranting further studies to elucidate beneficial effects of STRE.

Correction: Stevia residue extract increases intestinal uric acid excretion via interactions with intestinal urate transporters in hyperuricemic mice.

Correction for 'Stevia residue extract increases intestinal uric acid excretion via interactions with intestinal urate transporters in hyperuricemic mice' by Arshad Mehmood et al., Food Funct., 2019, 10, 7900-7912.

Stevia residue extract alone and combination with allopurinol attenuate hyperuricemia in fructose-PO-induced hyperuricemic mice.

The current project was designed to utilize flavonoids and chlorogenic acids enriched stevia residue extract (STVRE) against hyperuricemia (HU). The in vitro results showed that STVRE potently and synergistically inhibits Xanthine oxidase (XO) with allopurinol. The AFM results predicted that STVRE compounds bind with XO and alter its structure which further prevents the entrance of substrate with XO. These in vitro results were further confirmed in fructose-PO-induced hyperuricemic mice model. The results showed that supplementation of STVRE with allopurinol significantly attenuated HU, oxidative stress, and inflammation caused by UA via inhibiting the production of uric acid and lowering cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, prostaglandin E2, interleukin-6, and interleukin 1-beta levels in serum and renal tissues. Moreover, STVRE and allopurinol treatment attenuated, tubular dilation, infiltration of inflammatory cells, improved structure disorder of podocyte, and foot process fusion, and decreased glomerular basement membrane thickness. These findings suggested that STVRE can be used as an antihyperuricemic agent along with allopurinol. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results of present study showed that STVRE has a beneficial effect against fructose-PO-induced hyperuricemia by decreasing uric acid level, xanthine oxidase activity, improving oxidative stress and inflammation. These findings suggested that by-product of stevia (STVRE) enriched with polyphenolic compounds can be used as a functional ingredient against hyperuricemia and related diseases.

Stevia residue as new precursor of CO2-activated carbon: Optimization of preparation condition and adsorption study of triclosan

The present work reports the preparation of CO2-activated carbon (AC) using Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) residue as a new carbon precursor. The experimental parameters were optimized via chemometrics tools to obtain an AC with high BET surface area (SBET). The found optimum condition was: activation temperature of 900 °C, CO2 flow of 165 cm3 g−1 and activation time of 60 min, providing an ACop with SBET of 874 m2 g−1. The ACop was characterized from several analytical techniques, which showed that it has heterogeneous morphology features and different surface chemical groups, predominating the acidic character. The adsorption performance of ACop for triclosan (TCS) removal from solution was investigated by kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies. The results showed that TCS adsorption process onto ACop is spontaneous and endothermic, wherein the mechanism occurs by different steps, which equally play important roles. Additionally, the monolayer adsorption capacity (Qm) was found to be 117.00 mg g−1.

Stevia residue extract ameliorates oxidative stress in d-galactose-induced aging mice via Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

The present study investigated the effect of Stevia residue extract (SRE) against oxidative stress in d-galactose (d-gal) induced aging mice. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that SRE is a good source of chlorogenic acids. Biochemical results showed that SRE significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and decreased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in serum, liver or brain of d-gal induced aging mice. At 200 mg/kg, SRE up-regulated the mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream target genes including GPx1, CAT, SOD1, quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in d-gal treated mice liver. SRE also up-regulated the protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and the ratio of phosphorylated Akt to Akt (pAkt/Akt) in d-gal treated mice liver. These findings suggest that SRE is able to protect against oxidative stress in d-gal induced aging model via activation of Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. In conclusion, SRE may provide a promising dietary approach for the prevention or alleviation of oxidative stress and age-related conditions.

Dietary intervention with Stevia residue extracts alleviates impaired glucose regulation in mice

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Stevia residue extracts (SREs, i.e., SRE‐1 and SRE‐2) on impaired glucose regulation (IGR). ICR mice were fed with a high‐fat and high‐fructose diet (HFFD) to induce IGR. Glucose metabolism, serum lipid profiles, serum antioxidant status, and hepatic histopathological analysis by oil red O were analyzed. The bioactive compounds of SREs were identified by LC/MS/MS. Chemical analysis of SREs revealed the extracts to be good sources of chlorogenic acids and flavonoids. SRE‐1 significantly lowered blood glucose levels and improved glucose intolerance in HFFD‐induced IGR mice. Serum lipid profiles, antioxidant status, and liver fat accumulation were also improved by SRE‐1, especially at 200 mg/kg. The results suggest that SRE‐1‐enriched diet could ameliorate prediabetic associated metabolic disturbances by regulating glucose and lipid pathways. Moreover, SRE‐1 exerts its beneficial effect against IGR probably due to the presence of chlorogenic acids and flavonoids. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, an ancient perennial shrub of South America, produces steviol glycosides that are low calorie sweeteners, about 300 times sweeter than saccharose. In addition to steviol glycosides, S. rebaudiana contains other metabolites with bioactive potential, such as polyphenols. A large amount of byproduct is being formed during steviol glycosides extraction. Thus, there has been an increasing demand to exploit this polyphenol‐rich byproduct as food additives or nutraceuticals. Our study showed that SREs‐enriched diet has a variety of beneficial effects on HFFD‐induced IGR mice by regulating oxidative stress, glucose, and lipid metabolism. IGR refers to a metabolic status between normal glucose homeostasis and diabetes, and is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, SREs could be developed as functional foods or nutraceuticals to prevent many diseases associated with IGR.

The foliar spray of Rhodopseudomonas palustris grown under Stevia residue extract promotes plant growth via changing soil microbial community

The extract of Stevia residue is an ideal substitute for cultivation of the purple nonsulfur bacterium, like Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris). But the influence of R. palustris grown under residue extract on its downstream application is still not well-characterized. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of foliar spray of R. palustris grown under Stevia residue extract on the plant growth and soil microbial properties. A pot experiment was carried out under the greenhouse condition, consisting of four treatments varying in the sprayed substances: sterilized water (control), R. palustris grown under the chemical medium supplemented with L-tryptophan (SyT), R. palustris grown under Stevia residue extract supplemented with L-tryptophan (ExT), and R. palustris grown under Stevia residue extract supplemented with NH4Cl (ExT). The net photosynthesis rate of the uppermost leaves was measured with a portable photosynthesis system. Soil microbial activity was analyzed by microcalorimetry. Soil bacterial community components were determined by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing techniques. Compared with SyT, the R. palustris grown under Stevia residue extract not only improved the plant biomass and the net photosynthetic rate to a large extent, but also increased soil microbial metabolic activity and altered community compositions as well. The treatments receiving R. palustris, especially ExT and ExN, increased the relative abundances of some functional guilds involved in C turnover and nutrient cycling in soil, including Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadaetes, Nitrospirae, and Planctomycetes. R. palustris grown under the Stevia residue extract showed advantages over that under the chemical medium on both plant growth and soil microbial properties. One of the possible reasons could result from the increases in microbial activity and several bacterial keystone guilds involved into C and nutrient cycling, both of which potentially contribute to the improved plant growth. The results would be conducive to the downstream application of R. palustris in an economical way.

Optimization of Extraction Conditions of Antioxidant Components from Stevia Residue after Stevioside Extraction by Response Surface Methdology by Response Surface Methodology

Optimization of Extraction Conditions of Antioxidant Components from Stevia Residue after Stevioside Extraction by Response Surface Methdology by Response Surface Methodology

Characteristics of purple nonsulfur bacteria grown under Stevia residue extractions

As a consequence of the large-scale cultivation of Stevia plants, releases of plant residues, the byproduct after sweetener extraction, to the environment are inevitable. Stevia residue and its effluent after batching up contain large amounts of organic matters with small molecular weight, which therefore are a potential pollution source. Meanwhile, they are favourite substrates for micro-organism growths. This investigation was aimed to utilize the simulated effluent of Stevia residue to enrich the representative purple nonsulfur bacterium (PNSB), Rhodopseudomonas palustris (Rps. palustris), which has important economic values. The growth profile and quality of Rps. palustris were characterized by spectrophotometry, compared to those grown in common PNSB mineral synthetic medium. Our results revealed that the simulated effluent of Stevia residue not only stimulated Rps. palustris growth to a greater extent, but also increased its physiologically active cytochrome concentrations and excreted indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content. This variation in phenotype of Rps. palustris could result from the shift in its genotype, further revealed by the repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting analysis. Our results showed that the effluent of Stevia residue was a promising substrate for microbial growth.

Soil microbial mechanisms of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) residue returning increasing crop yield and quality

Due to the ever-increasing worldwide plantation of sweet leaf Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni), how to efficiently and effectively utilize the huge amounts of leaf residues that contain abundant nutrients after sweetener extraction becomes an eminent issue. One option is to return these residues into soil, as organic manure in the fresh or composted form, in order to both sustain soil fertility and avoid potential environmental pollution. In a field experiment, we studied if the Stevia leaf residue returning affected both plant and soil microbial growths as well as the possible change of soil microbial community composition. In doing so, four treatments were employed: (1) no chemical fertilization and no Stevia residue returning (no-fertilization control); (2) chemical N, P, and K fertilization (NPK); (3) fresh Stevia residue plus NPK (FS + NPK); and (4) composted Stevia residue plus NPK (CS + NPK). Responses of plant and soil microbial communities to Stevia residue input after 1-year fertilizations were investigated by multiple approaches, including soil enzyme assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and PCR–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Our results showed that compared to the sole NPK and no-fertilization control, returning Stevia residues to soil stimulated the enzyme activities of dehydrogenase, invertase, and urease, except neutral phosphomonoesterase; thereby, both the Stevia leaf biomass and sweet glycoside of rebaudioside A were increased. The soil microbial community abundance was increased by the returning of Stevia residues, and their composition was shifted, evidenced by an increase of relative abundance of some genotypic groups, such as Bacillales. Further molecular analysis of Bacillus confirmed that this guild composition was positively influenced by Stevia residue returning, especially for Bacillaceae. Our results demonstrated an effective use of Stevia residues as organic manure for promoting Stevia yield and quality through stimulating soil microbial growth and enzyme activities.