ABSTRACT
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) imposes a significant impact on the quality of life for affected individuals. However, there was a current lack of a systematic summary regarding the latest epidemic trends and the underlying pathogenesis of IBD. This highlights the need for a thorough examination of both the epidemiological aspects of IBD and the specific mechanisms by which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) contribute to mitigating this condition. In developed countries, higher incidences and death rates of IBD have been observed, influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. LAB offer significant advantages and substantial potential for enhancing IBD treatment. LAB's capabilities include the production of bioactive metabolites, regulation of gut immunity, protection of intestinal mechanical barriers, inhibition of oxidative damage, and restoration of imbalanced gut microbiota. The review suggests that screening effective LAB using cell models and metabolites, optimizing LAB intake through dose-effect studies, enhancing utilization through nanoencapsulation and microencapsulation, investigating mechanisms to deepen the understanding of LAB, and refining clinical study designs. These efforts aim to contribute to comprehending the epidemic trend, pathogenesis, and treatment of IBD, ultimately fostering the development of targeted therapeutic products, such as LAB-based interventions.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the current study is to ascertain the anticancer activity of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus in the 1, 2-dimethyl hydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer rat model and to determine the antioxidant status. Rats were divided into five groups of six animals each. Group I served as control, group II served as cancer control (DMH alone administered), group III as standard drug control (5-FU along with DMH) and group IV and V received EPS in two doses (200 mg/kg body weight and 400 mg/kg body weight along with DMH). EPS administration was found to reduce the number of polyps formed (Group IV-8.25 ± 1.258 and Group V-8.50 ± 1.732 vs Group II-14.50 ± 2.380) and to increase the levels of antioxidant enzymes viz. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and antioxidants like vitamin C (Vit. C), reduced glutathione (GSH) which was found to be reduced in colon cancer control rats. The status of lipid peroxidation (LPO) was also evaluated. All the values which were affected by the supplementation of DMH were brought to near normal levels by the treatment with EPS. The well-preserved histology of colon and the biochemical evaluation also show that EPS could be a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer.
