Studies on the Comparative Response of Fibers Obtained from the Pastazzo of Citrus bergamia and Cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica on In Vitro Model of Neuroinflammation

Adhering to a healthy diet has a protective effect on human health, including a decrease in inflammatory diseases due to consuming fiber. The purpose of this manuscript was to obtain and compare two extracts based on fiber (BF and IF-C), derived from two plants particularly present in the Mediterranean region: bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). The parts used by these plants have been the “pastazzo” for the bergamot and the cladodes for the prickly pear. In addition to in vitro evaluations, the antioxidant activity was also measured on human neurons under inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, the extracts of interest were examined for their effects on the cell cycle and the regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins, caspase 9 and 3, induced by LPS. The results indicated that both extracts had a protective effect against LPS-induced damage, with BF consistently exhibiting superior functionality compared to IF-C. Moreover, the extracts can reduce inflammation, which is a common process of disease. By exploring this avenue, studying the consumption of dietary fiber could enhance our understanding of its positive effects, but additional experiments are needed to confirm this.