Effects of lactobacillus plantarum CIB 001 on lipid metabolism of hypercholesterolemia rats

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-hypercholesterolemic effect of bile salt hydrolase-producing Lactobacillus plantarum CIB 001 (KCTC 11717 bp) in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Four treatment groups of rats (n=5) were fed experimental diets: a normal diet (ND), a ND plus L. plantarum CIB 001(NDL) at 5.0-7.5×10⁹ colony forming unit (CFU)/day, a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), as well as a HCD plus L. plantarum CIB 001 (HCDL) at 5.0-7.5×10⁹ CFU/ day for 6 weeks. Compared with the HCD group, the HCDL group demonstrated a decrease in serum triglyceride (p<0.05), total cholesterol (p<0.05), and the corresponding HDL-cholesterol concentration increased at a rate of 40% (p<0.05). The HCDL group also induced a decrease in liver inflammation and steatosis. The present results suggest that supplementation of L. plantarum CIB 001 can have short-term (6 weeks) effects on blood lipids and liver injury, as well as on the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factors.