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 with hypertension and coronary heart disease. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of two probiotic lactobacilli strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus SKG34 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus FBB42) isolated from different sources(fermented milk and feces of healthy infants) , on the blood lipid profile of rats, fed with high fat containing diet. The ability of these strains to reduce the cholesterol content of rats blood was also investigated in this study. Four groups of 6 rats were fed for 28 days with high fat containing diets (HF), high fat containing diets supplemented individually either with L. rhamnosus SKG34 or L. rhamnosus FBB42, and high fat containing diets supplemented with a combination of those strains. During these 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 ceccal content and lipid profile of rats were determined by dilution plating method on MRS agar and CHOD-PAP enzymatic method, respectively. The results showed that administration of probiotics, either singly or in combination, was found to increse the population of LAB and this resulted in a slight decrease in the pH of the cecal content (P>0,05). It was also found in this study that the probiotics L. rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosus FBB42, either applied singly 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 of L.rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosus FBB42 reduced (with equivalent results) the ratios of TC: HDL-c, TG: HDL-c, and LDL-c: HDL-c which are normally used as a predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This indicated that L. rhamnosus SKG34 and L. rhamnosus FBB42 are potential to be developed as probiotics to be used in improving blood lipid profiles.