A probiotic invented in Romania, effective in liver disease

A mushroom -based probiotic, developed by a team coordinated by Eng. Dr. Irina Matran, from the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology (UMFST) ‘George Emil Palade’, effective in preventing or treating non -alcoholic liver steatosis, is under patenting at the State Office for Inventions of inventions and innovations inventcor 2025.

The invention ‘adjuvant food in the prevention and/or treatment of non -alcoholic liver steatosis’, a 100% natural probiotic, obtained the gold medal in the Medicine category within the International Inventions and Innovations Salon, but received another ten distinctions. The performance is even higher, given that at this year’s edition of Inventcor, over 300 inventions from 31 countries were judged.

The management of the UMFST in Târgu Mureș noted that the invention is topical, having a real potential in the prevention and treatment of a more common condition, the fatty liver.

Engineer doctor Irina Matran, head of works within the discipline of community nutrition and food hygiene within the Faculty of Medicine, specializing in nutrition and diet, is a professional in the food industry and is not at the first invention subject to patent.

‘I have always been curious and I wanted to bring my contribution to the improvement of the quality of life of our fellows and I liked the research. So far, in the field of research we have made two patents for a product that reduces gastroesophageal reflux and prevents dental erosions and a healing for anal cracks, for which we received the confirmation that it is patentable and we will receive the decision to grant the patent. Together with other researchers I have other patents under patent, and now we are working on a series of research projects, to be completed to see the final results, « said Irina Matran.

With a master’s degree and food quality management, a master’s degree in pharmacovigilance at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Iuliu Haţieganu’ in Cluj-Napoca and a doctorate in the field of medicine, supported at the same university, Irina Matran became known after the gold medal obtained for the new probiotic.

‘The idea of ​​this probiotic started in a license work, in the autumn of 2023, when a student in the last year at the nutrition and diet license program, came to propose to coordinate it, being a bachelor’s coordinator. He proposed to develop a food, to develop something for patients who lived fat, non -alcoholic liver steatosis. I fondly accepted the challenge, I like the license works that involve research in the true sense. And I want to tell you that I bring all the appreciation of the respective student, because I worked both side by side, a sustained effort from the autumn of 2023. Three months took the development of the product. Because when you develop a food for special nutrition states, the conditions are different compared to normal foods for the general healthy population. (…) It took us the stage, the realization of the stage of knowledge, both from a scientific point of view, and from the point of view of industrial property, which means that we have checked whether there are similar or very close or very close patent applications. This was not the case. For this reason I got courage and developed the food, « said the researcher.

The research involved the study on laboratory animals, the results being remarkable.

‘I induced the disease, the pathology of non -alcoholic hepatic steatosis or the disease of the fat. The confirmation of the induction of this disease did it following the biochemical and histopathological analyzes, after which we applied clearly, after a well-established design, the new food, the food developed by us, followed periodically, with a well-established period, as well as biochemical, liver analyzes, histopathological analyzes, weight, blood sugar. Weekly, together with colleagues we monitored food consumption and water consumption and came to the conclusion that our food is effective. The liver enzymes responsible for the onset and development of this disease decrease and blood sugar decreases, which we were glad, that our food is effective. During the entire period of preclinical evaluation for six months there were no side effects, no animal suffered any adverse reaction. I have followed this behavior in the ethological, to see, they are stressed, they are not, if they had problems, such as the appearance of the hair and many other aspects. And at present our food is under patenting at OSIM – the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks. We are waiting for the report on patentability ‘, stressed Irina Matran.

The product developed at UMFst Târgu Mureș does not contain preservatives or other synthetic substances, has no starch and no flour.

‘Probiotic assumes that a certain ingredient, in the inulin in this case, metabolizes in the large intestine and results in short -chain fatty acids, which represents food for healthy microorganisms, non -pathogenic for human health, the normal homeastasy of the human body. The product has a low glycemic index, 14, which means it can be consumed by people who have prediabetes or type two diabetes. This pathology has a growing prevalence, including in young people, due to the change of lifestyle. So it can be consumed by this segment, but with the mention to monitor its blood sugar. Our product is, for our knowledge, the first food that has a part of nutivigilance. This means that the packaging presents information on possible side effects, the interaction with certain drugs, which makes patients or people who want to consume this product. And suppose it will be an adverse reaction, we say unforeseen, he can inform the family doctor, the specialist, the pharmacist and say what happened and what product he consumed, « said the researcher.

The great advantage of this probiotic, said Irina Matran, is that the blood sugar does not increase, because it has a high fiber content.

‘Another advantage is that, to prevent specific adverse reactions, we have considered to pack it in monodose, that is, a dose contains the maximum amount of food that can be consumed in 24 hours. It is a package that contains 20 grams of soup, over which only hot water is poured, closed the package, homogenized and the product can be consumed. So it does not require boiling or other thermal treatment. The product is also ideal for endurance athletes, who can consume it, with a high protein and low carbohydrate content. It can also be consumed by the people who serve our country, say in the field of the army, NATO, and so on. Being a food for special nutrition states, its development and marketing is done according to a specific European regulation, under medical supervision. Our product does not contain allergens, it does not contain gluten, it does not contain lactose, which can make it useful for patients who have gluten or lactose intolerance and can be ecologically certified, « said Irina Matran.

The product is in the form of powder, packaged in envelopes or jar, contains grifola, pediment and corticeps inencis, inulin, psilium, parsley, oregano, iodized salt and Ștevie.

‘We did not put garlic precisely because we thought that many people can consume it in the office, in everyday activities. But people who want to improve their sensory quality, taste, can add any spice. We wanted to create a balanced taste so that it could be consumed by everyone, « the researcher said.

According to Irina Matran, non -alcoholic liver steatosis has an increasing prevalence in many countries, including in young ages, and even in children, a cause being the inadequate lifestyle, but also other genetic causes and other pathologies.

‘Our product is adjuvant in the prevention and improvement of treatment. So far it has been consumed only by people who wanted or were curious to product. We will also introduce it in the clinical study. It can last from 30 days, say, up to three months, six months. We hope that in 30 days the results will be seen ‘, said Irina Matran.

The researcher believes that all foods should have nutrivigilance, including normal foods for the general population, not only for foods for special nutrition states.

‘It is my personal opinion, that the food and dietary supplements should come to this regard. But an extremely important aspect is the legislative implementation of a regulation (…) For example, in the European Union, the first country in which it regulated nutrivigilance is France. It works extremely well the part of nutrivigilance. In France there are many side effects identified in food, but besides France it is Italy, Belgium and there are other countries, « said Irina Matran.

Credit PHOTO RADIO ROMANIA ROMANITIES