Microbiological quality of Portuguese yogurts

The microbiological quality of four brands of natural yogurts and two probiotic yogurts available in the Portuguese market, was evaluated during the shelf-life period. Although the specific flora decreased during storage it was always within the range of recommended values. No coliforms and an insignificant number of fungi were detected. Received 26 May 1998/ Accepted in revised form 6 July 1998     

Orally administrated Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 and Lactobacillus GG alleviated nasal blockage of guinea pig with allergic rhinitis

Lactobacillus GG (LGG) and L. gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) were investigated for their ability to alleviate nasal blockage associated with allergic rhinitis using a guinea pig model. The increases in sRaw at 10 min and 5 hr after the exposure of the nasal mucosa to OVA were significantly alleviated in the guinea pigs orally administrated with LGG and TMC0356 compared with those of the control (P<0.05 and P<0.01). The total numbers of leukocytes, particularly eosinophils and neutrophils from the nasal cavity lavage fluid, and the OVA-specific IgE concentration in the serum were also decreased in the guinea pigs orally administrated with LGG and TMC0356, although the decreases were not statistically significant. These results suggest that LGG and TMC0356 can alleviate antigen-induced nasal blockage in earlyphase and late-phase inflammatory responses associated with allergic rhinitis.     

Relationship between lactose utilization of lactic acid bacteria and browning of cheese during storage

ABSTRACT

To produce processed cheese turning hardly brown during transportation and storage at room temperature, natural cheese showing less discoloration should be used as a raw material. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the lactose utilization of lactic acid bacteria and the browning of cheese during storage. Three type-cultures (Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus thermophilus) and five isolates from Japanese pickles (Lactobacillus spp.) were used. Cheese curds inoculated with these bacteria were prepared and stored. The L. plantarum-inoculated curds showed smaller ΔE-values after storage, an indicator for the browning, compared to the others. Accumulation of galactose was observed in the curd to which S. thermophilus was inoculated. The sample showed larger ΔE-value after storage. These results showed the lactose utilization of bacteria affected galactose concentration in cheese and its browning during storage. L. plantarum might be a good starter for preparing cheese turning hardly brown.     

Protective efficacy of probiotic alone or in conjunction with a prebiotic in Salmonella-induced liver damage

In view of the increasing interest in the bioecological and nutritional control of diseases, use of probiotics alone or in combination with prebiotics (synbiotics) appears as a therapeutic option for various diseases. In this study, an attempt was made to explore the protective potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus as a probiotic, inulin as a prebiotic and both L. acidophilus and inulin as synbiotic against Salmonella -induced liver damage in a murine model. The probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic supplementation resulted in decreased bacterial translocation in the liver of mice challenged with Salmonella typhimurium and decreased levels of serum aminotransferases, suggesting their protective role against Salmonella infection. Mice supplemented with these preparations before Salmonella challenge also revealed decreased levels of lipid peroxidation, increased levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione, along with reduced levels of nitric oxide. Thus, bacteriological and biochemical alterations correlated well with the histological evidence. Protection afforded by supplementation with the probiotic alone was found to be more effective. None of the observations was suggestive of the synergistic effect in the synbiotic-supplemented animals. Thus, it is indicated that the probiotic and the prebiotic used in the present study may act by different mechanisms involved in affording protection against Salmonella -induced liver damage.     

Importance of S-layer proteins in probiotic activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus M92

AIMS: To investigate the functional role of surface layer proteins (S-layer) in probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus M92, especially its influence on adhesiveness to mouse ileal epithelial cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell surface proteins revealed the presence of potential surface layer (S-layer) proteins, ca at 45 kDa in L. acidophilus M92. Southern blot with pBK1 plasmid, containing slpA gene, gave a positive signal, suggesting that L. acidophilus M92 has a slpA gene coding for the S-layer proteins. S-layer proteins of this strain are present during all phases of growth. The S-layer proteins appeared when cells treated with 5 mol l(-1) LiCl were allowed to grow again. Removal of the S-layer proteins reduced adhesion of L. acidophilus M92 to mouse ileal epithelial cells. Furthermore, the viability of cells without S-layer were reduced in simulated gastric juice at low pH range (2, 2.5, 3) and simulated pancreatic juice with bile salts (1.5 and 3 g l(-1)). S-layer proteins of L. acidophilus M92 were resistant to pepsin and pancreatin, in contrast, the treatment with proteinase K led to a significant proteolysis of the S-layer proteins. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated functional role of S-layer; it is responsible for adhesiveness of Lactobacillus acidophilus M92 to mouse ileal epithelial cells and has a protective role for this strain. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: S-layer proteins have an important role in the establishment of probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus M92 in the gastrointestinal tract.     

On the biogenesis of cytokinins in Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4963

The biosynthesis of free cytokinins in the mevalonic acid auxotrophic Lactobacillus acidophilus , ATCC 4963 has been investigated. After a short pulse labelling with [¹⁴C]-mevalonic acid the labelled free cytokinins of bacteria and media and the labelled cytokinin-nucleotide moiety of tRNA and oligonucleotides were determined and compared. tRNA is the main precursor for cytokinin production. Bacteria previously starved for mevalonic acid showed the presence of at least one additional cytokinin precursor. A fraction of oligonudeotides shows rapid incorporation of ¹⁴C and contains labelled cytokinin nucleotides. There are no indications for a direct isopentenylation of adenine, adenosine or its phosphate derivatives.     

调节阴道微环境在治疗妊娠期复发性念珠菌性阴道炎中的作用

目的初步探讨应用乳杆菌活菌胶囊在治疗妊娠期复发性念珠菌性阴道炎中的作用。方法将2009年12月。2011年12月共266例在我院产科门诊就诊的妊娠期复发性念珠菌性阴道炎患者随机分为试验组和对照组,试验组给予克霉唑联合中药及乳杆菌活菌胶囊治疗,对照组仅给予克霉唑联合中药治疗,观察采用乳杆菌活菌胶囊调节阴道内微环境后的临床疗效,远期自愈率及复发率。结果两组的近期治愈率相似,近期治疗效果分布无显著性差异（P〉0．05）,但给予乳酸杆菌活菌胶囊治疗远期自愈率28．57％明显高于对照组,远期复发率为11．03％,明显低于对照组的26．92％,分娩时复发率（10．29％）明显低于对照组（29．23％）,两者比较有显著地统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论克霉唑联合中药及乳杆菌活菌胶囊治疗妊娠期复发性念珠菌性阴道炎临床效果好,远期自愈率高,复发率低,副反应小。     

Production of organic acids from fermentation of mannitol, fructooligosaccharide and inulin by a cholesterol removing Lactobacillus acidophilus strain

AIMS: Assessment of individual production of organic acids by Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 in the presence of mannitol, fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and inulin. METHODS AND RESULTS: The production patterns of individual organic acids by L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 were assessed using the experimental region for optimum cholesterol removal from the interaction between L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 and prebiotics selected in our previous study. The production of acetic and formic acids was growth associated and was greatly influenced by the inoculum size of the organism and the concentration of mannitol. The growth of the organism was repressed with the fermentation end products of FOS and inulin, which subsequently exhibited repressed production of acetic and formic acids as well. The inoculum size, mannitol and FOS linearly affected the formation of butyric acid and the response surface generated showed a correlation between butyric acid and acetic acid. The experimental regions with increased production of lactic acid showed cessation of growth of the organism, indicating inhibition of growth at high concentration of lactic acid. CONCLUSIONS: The production of individual organic acids was dependent on growth and the fermentability of prebiotics. Mannitol, FOS and inulin favoured the production of formic, lactic and butyric acids respectively. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The fermentability of prebiotics to produce metabolites has been a controversial issue. Information gathered in this study provides a better understanding on the production of organic acids from fermentation of mannitol, FOS and inulin by L. acidophilus ATCC 4962, and on changes in their production as a response from interaction of factors.     

复方嗜酸乳杆菌片联合美沙拉嗪对溃疡性结肠炎患者肠黏膜的修复作用

目的 探讨复方嗜酸乳杆菌片联合美沙拉嗪缓释颗粒对溃疡性结肠炎（UC）患者肠黏膜的修复作用。方法 选取活动期UC患者74例,随机分为观察组和对照组各37例。两组患者均给予相同的饮食指导及营养支持治疗。对照组患者给予美沙拉嗪缓释颗粒1.0 g/次,4次/d,口服。观察组在对照组基础上加用复方嗜酸乳杆菌片1.0 g/次,3次d/。两组患者均连用12周。观察并记录两组患者治疗前和治疗12周后血清D-乳酸和PCT水平及肠镜下肠黏膜评分的变化,并比较其临床效果。结果 治疗12周后,两组患者血清D-乳酸和PCT水平及及肠镜下肠黏膜评分均较治疗前有不同程度下降（P<0.05）,且观察组下降幅度较对照组更大（P<0.05）;同时观察组临床总有效率高于对照组（94.59% vs 78.38%;χ2=4.16,P<0.05）。结论 复方嗜酸乳杆菌片联合美沙拉嗪缓释颗粒对UC的治疗效果较肯定,可明显减轻患者肠黏膜病变程度,保护肠黏膜屏障,加快其修复。     

嗜酸乳杆菌及其制剂对大鼠血脂代谢的影响

本实验表明,口服嗜酸乳杆茵及其制剂,能升高大鼠ADL—C和HDL—C/T比值及降低[VLDL LDL]—C的浓度。这一作用对于防止动粥发生显然是十分有利的。若将嗜酸乳杆菌及其制剂,与其它降血脂药物配伍,用于高血脂症的辅助治疗,将会产生良好的效果。