Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus FM9 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum Y57 Are as Effective as Statins at Improving Blood Lipid Profile in High Cholesterol, High-Fat Diet Model in Male Wistar Rats.

Elevated serum cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart diseases. Some Lactobacillus strains with cholesterol-lowering potential have been isolated from artisanal food products. The purpose of this study was to isolate probiotic Lactobacillus strains from traditional yoghurt (dahi) and yogurt milk (lassi) and investigate the impact of these strains on the blood lipid profile and anti-obesity effect in a high cholesterol high fat diet model in Wistar rats. Eight candidate probiotic strains were chosen based on in vitro probiotic features and cholesterol reduction ability. By 16S rDNA sequencing, these strains were identified as Limosilactibacillus fermentum FM6, L. fermentum FM16, L. fermentum FM12, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus FM9, L. fermentum Y55, L. fermentum Y57, L. rhamnosus Y59, and L. fermentum Y63. The safety of these strains was investigated by feeding 2 × 108 CFU/mL in saline water for 28 days in a Wistar rat model. No bacterial translocation or any other adverse effects were observed in animals after administration of strains in water, which indicates the safety of strains. The cholesterol-lowering profile of these probiotics was evaluated in male Wistar rats using a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFCD) model. For 30 days, animals were fed probiotic strains in water with 2 × 108 CFU/mL/rat/day, in addition to a high fat, high cholesterol diet. The cholesterol-lowering effects of various probiotic strains were compared to those of statin. All strains showed improvement in total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and weight gain. Serum cholesterol levels were reduced by 9% and 8% for L. rhamnosus FM9 and L. fermentum Y57, respectively, compared to 5% for the statin-treated group. HDL levels significantly improved by 46 and 44% for L. rhamnosus FM9 and L. fermentum Y57, respectively, compared to 46% for the statin-treated group. Compared to the statin-treated group, FM9 and Y57 significantly reduced LDL levels by almost twofold. These findings show that these strains can improve blood lipid profiles as effectively as statins in male Wistar rats. Furthermore, probiotic-fed groups helped weight control in animals on HFCD, indicating the possible anti-obesity potential of these strains. These strains can be used to develop food products and supplements to treat ischemic heart diseases and weight management. Clinical trials, however, are required to validate these findings.

Lactobacillus reuteri and Enterococcus faecium from Poultry Gut Reduce Mucin Adhesion and Biofilm Formation of Cephalosporin and Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Salmonella enterica.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) can cause infection in poultry, livestock, and humans. Although the use of antimicrobials as feed additives is prohibited, the previous indiscriminate use and poor regulatory oversight in some parts of the world have resulted in increased bacterial resistance to antimicrobials, including cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, which are among the limited treatment options available against NTS. This study aimed to isolate potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from the poultry gut to inhibit fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin resistant MDR Salmonella Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. The safety profile of the LAB isolates was evaluated for the hemolytic activity, DNase activity, and antibiotic resistance. Based on the safety results, three possible probiotic LAB candidates for in vitro Salmonella control were chosen. Candidate LAB isolates were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Lactobacillus reuteri PFS4, Enterococcus faecium PFS13, and Enterococcus faecium PFS14. These strains demonstrated a good tolerance to gastrointestinal-related stresses, including gastric acid, bile, lysozyme, and phenol. In addition, the isolates that were able to auto aggregate had the ability to co-aggregate with MDR S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. Furthermore, LAB strains competitively reduced the adhesion of pathogens to porcine mucin Type III in co-culture studies. The probiotic combination of the selected LAB isolates inhibited the biofilm formation of S. Typhimurium FML15 and S. Enteritidis FML18 by 90% and 92%, respectively. In addition, the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of the LAB culture significantly reduced the growth of Salmonella in vitro. Thus, L. reuteri PFS4, E. faecium PFS13, and E. faecium PFS 14 are potential probiotics that could be used to control MDR S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis in poultry. Future investigations are required to elucidate the in vivo potential of these probiotic candidates as Salmonella control agents in poultry and animal feed.