Cholesterol Homeostasis Associated With Probiotic Supplementationin Vivo

Aims To determine the mechanism underlying the serum cholesterol reduction effect by probiotics isolated from local fermented tapioca (Tapai). Methods and Results Lactic acid bacteria strains were isolated and examined for acid tolerance, bile salt resistance and hypocholesterolemic properties. Among the isolates,Lactobacillus plantarumTAR4 showed the highest cholesterol reduction ability (48 center dot 01%). The focus in thein vivotrial was to elucidate the cholesterol balance from findings pertaining to serum cholesterol reduction in rat model fed with high fat diet via oral administration. Rats fed with high-cholesterol diet supplemented withLact. plantarumTAR4 showed significant reduction in serum total cholesterol (29 center dot 55%), serum triglyceride (45 center dot 31%) and liver triglyceride (23 center dot 44%) as compared to high-cholesterol diet (HCD) group. There was a significant increment in faecal triglyceride (45 center dot 83%) and faecal total bile acid (384 center dot 95%) as compared to HCD group. Conclusions The findings showed that probioticLact. plantarumTAR4 supplementation reduced the absorption of bile acids for enterohepatic recycling and increased the catabolism of cholesterol to bile acids and not by suppressing the rate of cholesterol synthesis. Significance and Impact of Study Probiotic supplements could provide a new nonpharmacological alternative to reduce cardiovascular risk factors.