ICAR Research Data Repository for Knowledge Management

Several studies have indicated that serum cholesterol level could be reduced by consumption of certain cultured dairy products. It has also been suggested that intestinal microflora influenced cholesterol absorption. It is also observed that normal animals excreted much higher levels of cholesterol in the faeces than did germ-free animals. Lactobacillus acidophilus is considered to possess anticarcinogenic activity, antagonistic activity against pathogens and hypocholesterolemic activity. The hypocholesterolemic effect is probably exerted by inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl CoA reductase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme in endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis in the body and by promoting the excretion of dietary cholesterol in faeces as a result of co-precipitation in the presence of de-conjugated bile acids in the intestine and or adsorption by the organisms. Fermented milk resulted in production of certain compounds, which might be responsible for lowering serum cholesterol, Considerable variation among L. acidophilus strains isolated from faeces of pigs was observed with regard to their ability to grow in presence of bile and their ability to take up cholesterol from the growth medium. These organisms when grown in the presence of bile salts under anaerobic conditions took up cholesterol.