The effect of two Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains on the blood lipid profile of rats fed with high fat containing diet

Diet pattern and lifestyle of modern society has triggered various diseases associated withhypertension and coronary heart disease. The main objective of this study was to investigatethe effect of two probiotic lactobacilli strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus SKG34 andLactobacillus rhamnosus FBB42) isolated from different sources(fermented milk and feces ofhealthy infants) , on the blood lipid profile of rats, fed with high fat containing diet. The abilityof these strains to reduce the cholesterol content of rats blood was also investigated in thisstudy. Four groups of 6 rats were fed for 28 days with high fat containing diets (HF), high fatcontaining diets supplemented individually either with L. rhamnosus SKG34 or L. rhamnosusFBB42, and high fat containing diets supplemented with a combination of those strains. Duringthese treatments, the amount of food intake and the body weight gain of rats were measured.On day 28, all rats were saccrified and the population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in ceccalcontent and lipid profile of rats were determined by dilution plating method on MRS agarand CHOD-PAP enzymatic method, respectively. The results showed that administration ofprobiotics, either singly or in combination, was found to increse the population of LAB andthis resulted in a slight decrease in the pH of the cecal content (P>0,05). It was also found inthis study that the probiotics L. rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosus FBB42, either appliedsingly or in combination, significantly lowered the total content of cholesterol, TG and HDL-c,but increased HDL-c in rats fed with high fat containing diet. Besides that, administration ofL.rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosus FBB42 reduced (with equivalent results) the ratiosof TC: HDL-c, TG: HDL-c, and LDL-c: HDL-c which are normally used as a predictor ofcardiovascular diseases (CVD). This indicated that L. rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosusFBB42 are potential to be developed as probiotics to be used in improving blood lipid profiles.