Hypocholesterolemic activity of indigenous probiotic isolate Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARDMC1 in a rat model

The aim of this study was to investigate probiotic attributes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARDMC1 isolated from traditional rice beer starter cake and its hypocholesterolemic effects on Wistar rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. The indigenous isolate ARDMC1 showed potential probiotic characteristics such as tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal stress conditions, autoaggregation properties, and adhesion to intestinal epithelium Caco-2 cell line. In addition, ARDMC1 isolate exhibited in vitro cholesterol assimilation properties in media supplemented with cholesterol. Furthermore, administration of probiotic isolate to rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet resulted in significant reduction of serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride at the end of 42 days. The present study envisages ARDMC1 as a promising starter culture for the preparation of functional foods with properties to combat cardiovascular diseases. [Display omitted] •Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARDMC1 fulfills the prerequisite traits for becoming a potential probiotic strain.•In vitro cholesterol-lowering activity of S. cerevisiae ARDMC1 in culture broth was confirmed in a rat model system.•Serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased in hypercholesterolemic rats after probiotic feeding.•Atherogenic index and LDL-C/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio decreased after treatment.