Therapeutic effect of Streptococcus thermophilus CRL 1190-fermented milk on chronic gastritis

AIM: To investigate the potential therapeutic effect of exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing Streptococcus thermophilus (S. thermophilus) CRL 1190 fermented milk on chronic gastritis in Balb/c mice. METHODS: Balb/c mice were fed with the fermented milk for 7 d after inducing gastritis with acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA, 400 mg/kg body weight per day for 10 d). Omeprazole was included in this study as a positive therapeutic control. The gastric in? ammatory activity was evaluated from gastric histology and in? ammation score, number of interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-γ (INFγ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) cytokine-producing cells in the gastric mucosa, and thickness of the mucus layer. RESULTS: Animals receiving treatment with the EPS-producing S. thermophilus CRL 1190 fermented milk showed a conserved gastric mucosa structure similar to that of healthy animals. In? ammation scores of the fermented milk-treated mice were lower than those of mice in the gastritis group (0.2 ± 0.03 vs 2.0 ± 0.6, P < 0.05). A marked decrease in INFγ+ (15 ± 1.0 vs 28 ± 1.2, P < 0.05) and TNF-α+ (16 ± 3.0 vs 33 ± 3.0, P < 0.05) cells and an increase in IL-10+ (28 ± 1.5 vs 14 ± 1.3, P < 0.05) cells compared to the gastritis group, was observed. Also, an increase in the thickness of the mucus gel layer (2.2 ± 0.6 vs 1.0 ± 0.3; 5.1 ± 0.8 vs 1.5 ± 0.4 in the corpus and antrum mucosa, respectively, P < 0.05) compared with the gastritis group was noted. A milk suspension of the purif ied EPS from S. thermophilus CRL1190 was also effective as therapy for gastritis.

Fermentation of pomegranate juice by lactic acid bacteria and its biological effect on mice fed a high-fat diet

This study investigated the ability of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL2051 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRL2030,two lactic acid bacteria isolated from fruits,to ferment pomegranate juice to produce beverages with extended shelf life and functional properties.Lactic acid bacteria consumed glucose and fructose as carbon sources,producing mainly lactic acid.Both strains were initially grown in juice at 30℃ for 48 h,then refrigerated at 4℃ for 28 days.During fermentation and cold storage,the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were conserved in fermented pomegranate juices.The functionality studies of the fermented beverages administered to C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet were evaluated over 6 weeks.Pomegranate juice supplementation led to a marked improvement in glucose and triglycerides serum profile,which decreased around 40%and up to 48%,respectively,and counteracted fat deposition and body weight gain.The high-fat diet treatment significantly incremented the aspartate aminotransferase activity in the liver,whereas fermented pomegranate juice consumption slightly reduced it.Liver histological changes associated with a high-fat diet were significantly reverted in juice-treated animals.Our findings evidenced the biological benefits of a novel functional beverage obtained by lactic fermentation of pomegranate juice;this functional drink may protect against weight gain,liver damage,and dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat diet consumption.