Effects of potato juice on some indicators of immune profile and intestinal microbiota in rats

Research into the gut microbiota and the associated immune defense is an important area of nutritional physiology, as all three factors - food, gut microbiota and immune cells - interact continuously with each other and contribute to the macroorganism's resistance to viral and bacterial infections. The addition of plant-based components into the diet can significantly improve the composition of gut microbiota and immune defense effectiveness. Potatoes Solanum tuberosum L. are one of the traditional foods that are a unique source of macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (ascorbic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, anthocyanins, carotenoids). One way to preserve the high content and bioavailability of functional components in potatoes is to consume them in the form of juice from unpeeled tubers that have not undergone heat treatment. The composition of tubers and the juice obtained from them varies significantly depending on the varietal characteristics of the potato, the colour of the tuber flesh and peel, and the content of secondary metabolites. It is expected that differences in the chemical composition of the juice determine its specific effect on the body. However, no experiments confirming this hypothesis have been conducted previously. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of juice obtained from unpeeled tubers of different potato varieties on the immune profile and gut microbiota of rats. In an experiment using a screw juicer, juice was extracted from three varieties of potatoes: Bagira (purple potato), Lila (pink potato) and Alaska (white potato). All potato varieties were tested for dry matter, starch, protein, mono- and disaccharides, and vitamin C content. The juice obtained was left to settle for 30 minutes, and the supernatant was given to the animals to drink in the first half of the day. The experiment used four groups of male non-linear rats, 9 individuals in each (aged 9-10 weeks): three experimental groups that received juice from purple, pink and white potatoes, respectively, and one control group that was on a standard diet (mixed feed and drinking water). At the beginning of the experiment (background, day 0), the animals were weighed, whole blood samples were collected for hematological and immunological studies, and feces were collected for bacteriological analysis. Then, during the 4 weeks of the experimental diet, the rats in all groups were weighed weekly. On day 28, whole blood and fecal samples were collected for repeat laboratory tests. Hematological parameters were determined using a semi-automatic veterinary analyzer Abacus Junior Vet (Diatron, Austria). The leukocyte formula was calculated in blood slides stained according to Romanovsky-Giemsa, using the standard method. T- and B-lymphocytes, T/B index, phagocytic activity, and phagocytic index were determined using a modification of P.N. Smirnov et al. (2007). Additionally, the systemic inflammation index, systemic inflammatory response index, aggregate inflammation systemic index, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio were calculated according to the formulas of V.A. Shvarts et al. (2024). Bacteriological studies of samples were performed in accordance with the Methodological Recommendations “Methods of bacteriological examination of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms in clinical microbiology”. Descriptive statistics, pairwise assessment of differences (Mann-Whitney U test) and diagram construction were performed using Jamovi software (The Jamovi Project, Australia; https://www.jamovi.org/) and Microsoft Office Excel 2023. Results were considered statistically significant at p function show_eabstract() { $('#eabstract1').hide(); $('#eabstract2').show(); $('#eabstract_expand').hide(); }