Narathip Puttarat, Boonyarut Ladda, Anongnard Kasorn, Somboon Tanasupawat, and Malai Taweechotipatr

DOI: 10.14456/sjst-psu.2021.167

pp. 1283 - 1291

Abstract

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major risk factors related to global health problems. Probiotics with cholesterollowering activity can improve cholesterol metabolism without any adverse effects. In this study, seventeen lactic acid bacteria
(LAB) isolated from traditional Thai foods exhibited the ability to produce bile salt hydrolase (BSH) and assimilate cholesterol.
From these isolates, Lactobacillus reuteri TF-7, Enterococcus faecium TF-18, and Bifidobacterium animalis TA-1 were selected
for cholesterol-lowering LAB candidates due to their robust cholesterol reduction activity with different genera. Furthermore,
these strains had proven to be safe and expressed different characteristics. L. reuteri TF-7 could produce gamma-aminobutyric
acid (GABA), whereas B. animalis TA-1 was the most potent antioxidant strain. Moreover, all three LAB strains could tolerate
under the acid and bile salt conditions, and adhered to the intestinal epithelial cells. According to these findings, three LAB
strains are potential cholesterol-lowering probiotics, which can be applied as probiotic supplements.