Cholesterol lowering and antioxidant potential of probiotic bacteria isolated from locally fermented milk product kalarei

Abstract

Probiotics due to their multifaceted health promoting attributes have gained immense research impetus in recent years. The current study reports the hypocholesterolemic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from indigenous sources. LAB may use several mechanisms for lowering serum cholesterol level <em>viz</em>. cholesterol assimilation, bile salt deconjugation, and cholesterol adsorption on cell surface of live, resting and dead probiotic cells. Cholesterol lowering is generally a strain dependent phenomenon, and different LAB isolates exhibited varying level of hypocholesterolemic effects. Among the LAB isolates, K2 <em>i.e</em>. <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> K2 showed the highest <em>in vitro</em> cholesterol lowering ability (82.32%), and strong bile salt deconjugation potential, and released about 128.43 µM/mL of cholic acid upon bile salt deconjugation. Furthermore, cholesterol removal by live, resting and dead <em>E. faecalis</em> K2 probiotic cells was shown to the extent of 72.46, 44.93, and 45.88%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy displayed appreciable adherence of cholesterol on to the cellular surfaces of <em>E. faecalis</em> K2 cells. The antioxidant potential of the cell free cultural fluid of LAB isolates was quite variable. LAB isolate <em>E. faecalis</em> K2 showed appreciable DPPH radical scavenging activity (37.36%), hydroxyl radical scavenging ability (26.35%), and superoxide radical scavenging ability (42.67%). Most of the LAB probiotic isolates were susceptible to conventionally used antibiotics, and lacked biogenic amine producing ability and haemolytic activity. The probiotic isolate <em>E. faecalis</em> K2 may have potential for application for management of hypercholesterolemia related coronary heart diseases, however, after thorough <em>in vivo</em> investigation.