Aims: The specific aim of this study is to investigate the probiotic potentials of mucuna beans flour fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus. Methodology and results: The L. acidophilus used was isolated from neonate faeces using the pour plate technique, thereafter, it was screened for growth and survival in the mucuna beans flour. Liquid fermentation method was adopted for fermentation of mucuna beans flour and at the end of 72 h fermentation at 37 °C, the L. acidophilus showed appreciable growth (90 × 105 CFU/mL). After storage for 14 days at refrigeration (4 ± 2 °C) and room temperature (25 ± 2 °C), there was a considerable increase in the Lactobacillus found in the products stored at room temperature (183.67 ± 3.28 ×105 CFU/mL) compared to the one stored at refrigeration temperature (94 ± 2.33 × 105 CFU/mL). There was a steady increase in the total titratable acidity and temperature with concomitant reduction in the pH of samples during the fermentation period. The proximate analysis showed that there was an increase in the protein and moisture contents with decrease in carbohydrates, fats, fiber and ash contents of the fermented samples compared to the unfermented sample. Under varying pH range, L. acidophilus showed high growth and survival at pH 2 to 3. Supplementing the diet of albino rats infected with E. coli and Shigella with fermented products reduces significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the numbers of these pathogens and other enteric bacteria while the number of the Lactobacilli increased considerably. Furthermore, the body weight of the rats fed the fermented product was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than the control group. Also, the haematological analysis showed that the rats infected with the pathogens and later fed the fermented mucuna beans flour recovered fully since their values are well within the permissible limit and are not significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different from the control group. In all, the rats fed the product fermented with L. acidophilus showed good recovery compared to the control. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The results of this investigation suggest that mucuna beans flour supports the growth and survival of L. acidophilus and exerts considerable probiotic effect on young mammals. Therefore, mucuna may be used as an ideal probiotic food.
Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Fermentation

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment on the storage stability of Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14 tamarind juice with or without beta-glucans. Methodology and results: Lactobacillus acidophilus incorporated with 6% (w/v) beta-glucans displayed the highest viability (17.28 log10 CFU/mL) as compared to other beta-glucans concentrations (0-8% w/v). The L. acidophilus with or without beta-glucans survived more than 80% after 5 h of sequential digestion. Tamarind juice was subjected to different thermal treatments (76 °C for 30 sec or 90 °C for 60 sec) and incorporated with L. acidophilus with or without betaglucans. Lactobacillus acidophilus in tamarind juice without thermal treatment showed the highest viability (8.69 log10 CFU/mL), followed by thermal treatment at 76 °C for 30 sec (>7 log10 CFU/mL), and thermal treatment at 90 °C for 60 sec showed the lowest viability (>4 log10 CFU/mL), after 21 days at 4 °C. The pH, titratable acidity and viscosity of all L. acidophilus-tamarind juices demonstrated no changes throughout 21 days at 4 °C. Furthermore, thermal-treated tamarind juice (90 °C for 60 sec) incorporated with L. acidophilus displayed the least change in total soluble solids (1.99 °Brix), while thermal-treated tamarind juice (90 °C for 60 sec) with L. acidophilus and beta-glucans had the lowest color change (∆E = 4.46), after 21 days of storage at 4 °C. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Thermal treatments (90 °C for 60 sec) had contributed to the stability of L. acidophilus-tamarind juice with beta-glucans over 21 days of cold storage. This study shows thermal treated tamarind juice with L. acidophilus and beta-glucans is a potential functional non-dairy beverage catered for lactose intolerance individuals.
Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Food Microbiology

ABSTRACT Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) is one of the etiological agents for dental caries and dominant in the deep carious lesion. L. acidophilus has also been identified in persistent root canal infection and also related to the failure of endodontic treatment. Photodynamic therapy is a therapeutic process involving the combination of a nontoxic photosensitizer and a light source. The excited photosensitizer reacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce injury and death of the microorganism. This study aimed to prove the effect of irradiation time of photodynamic therapy to the number of L. acidophilus. Forty-two Eppendorf tubes were treated with 0.5 ml L. acidophilus distributed into seven groups. Group 1 as the control group received no treatment. Groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were treated with a combination of 0.5 ml toluidine blue O (TBO) as a photosensitizer and 630 nm photoactivated (Fotosan®) exposure time for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 sec. Then, all were stored in an incubator of 37ºC for 48 h. Later, the colony-forming unit (CFU) was counted for each group. There were significant differences in the number of L. acidophilus in CFU of the various irradiation times. The longer the photodynamic therapy irradiation was, the lesser the number of live L. acidophilus became. At 50 sec and 60 sec irradiation, none of the L. acidophilus was found alive.
Photochemotherapy ; Lactobacillus acidophilus

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the proliferation and cell cycle distribution of human tongue cancer cells (Tca8113 cells).

METHODSIn vitro cultivated human Tca8113 cells were treated by L. acidophilus supernatant, inactivated bacilli, cell free extracts and normal culture medium respectively, which were 1, 4, 16-fold(s) dilutelly, to investigate the proliferous effects of Tca8113 cells using of inverted microscope, cell counting, sulforhodamine B (SRB) and flow cytometry. The free radicals and Ca2+ in Tca8113 cells were also studied by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM).

RESULTSAt the 48th hour after adding different L. acidophilus components, the Tca8113 cells changed in shape from the diamond-like, polygonal and slabs into the elongated form. In the condition of different times and different culture concentrations, the proliferation of Tca8113 cells was significantly inhibited by L. acidophilus components, which enhanced as the time prolonged and the concentrations of each L. acidophilus components increased according to the cell counting and the SRB experimental analysis. The cell proliferation index (CPI) was significantly reduced (P<0.01). The free radicals and Ca2+ in Tca8113 cells under the effect of each L. acidophilus components for 48 h indicated an obviously rising (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONL. acidophilus restrains the proliferation of Tca8113 cells, which might be due to the increase in quantity of free radicals and Ca2+ in Tca8113 cells, and might be resulted from the release of metabolic products of L. acidophilus.

PURPOSE: Acute diarrhea in young children is a major problem in pediatric hospitals worldwide. We evaluated the clinical efficacy of orally administered Lactobacillus acidophilus in the treatment of acute diarrhea in children. METHODS: From September 2002 to July 2003 at National Police Hospital 41 children aged 3 months to 5 years with acute diarrhea were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomized to one of two groups to receive either 0.5 x 10(8) colony forming unit (CFU) of L. acidophilus or matching placebo on admission and every 8 hours during hospitalization. RESULTS: The mean duration of diarrhea in all 41 children was decreased (p=0.001) in the L. acidophilus (40.5 hours) group compared to the placebo (56.6 hours) group. Stool frequency was also reduced (p=0.01) on the 3rd day in the L. acidophilus group. Rotavirus was identified in 58% of the patients. The decrease of duration of diarrhea was more significant in rotavirus-negative patients (p=0.002) compared to the rotavirus-positive patients (p=0.027). CONCLUSION: L. acidophilus shows to be an effective therapeutic agent in acute diarrhea in children. Further studies are needed to confirm the present findings.
Child* ; Diarrhea* ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Humans ; Lactobacillus acidophilus* ; Lactobacillus* ; Police ; Probiotics ; Rotavirus ; Stem Cells

Lactobacillus acidophilus UBLA-34, L. paracasei UBLPC-35, L. plantarum UBLP-40, and L. reuteri UBLRU-87 were isolated from different varieties of fermented foods. To determine the probiotic safety at the strain level, the whole genome of the respective strains was sequenced, assembled, and characterized. Both the core-genome and pan-genome phylogeny showed that L. reuteri was closest to L. plantarum than to L. acidophilus, which was closest to L. paracasei. The genomic analysis of all the strains confirmed the absence of genes encoding putative virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and the plasmids.
Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Genome ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Lactobacillus ; Phylogeny ; Plasmids ; Probiotics ; Virulence Factors

The most common causes of acute viral diarrhea in infants and toddlers are rotavirus, astrovirus and norovirus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate epidemiological data of pathogens obtained from stool exams and compare them with the clinical course in pediatric patients with symptoms of viral acute diarrhea and to investigate the clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) for acute diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Clinical data for three types of viral acute diarrhea were compared with the viral detection results by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Viruses were detected in 65.8% of subjects, with rotavirus being the most commonly reported in 63.3% of subjects. To examine the characteristics of each virus, a clinical epidemiological study was performed for 482 cases. Noroviral infection symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea in patients of all age groups. Dehydration in noroviral acute diarrheal patients was less common than in rotaviral acute diarrheal patients. The clinical efficacy of orally administered L. acidophilus in the treatment of acute viral diarrhea in infants and toddlers was also evaluated. L. acidophilus was a probiotic adjuvant in viral acute diarrhea in infants and toddlers.
Dehydration ; Diarrhea* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Infant* ; Lactobacillus acidophilus* ; Lactobacillus* ; Norovirus ; Probiotics ; Rotavirus ; Treatment Outcome ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants is often related to food allergies (FA). The beneficial effects of lactic acid bacteria towards allergic diseases have been reported, but there are few reports on their effect and preferable dosages on AD in young children with concomitant FA. OBJECTIVE: To examine additional effects of two different dose of paraprobiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (L-92) on the clinical treatment in young children afflicted by AD with diagnosed or suspected FA. METHODS: Fifty-nine AD young children from 10 months to 3 years old, with FA or who had not started to ingest specific food(s) because of high specific IgE levels, were recruited and randomly allocated into L-92 group (daily intake of 20 mg L-92/day) and placebo group. Participants were given test sample with conventional treatment for AD over a 24-week period. The severity of eczema was evaluated using SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index before intervention, and at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after intervention. RESULTS: After 24 weeks of intervention, a significant decrease in SCORAD was observed only in the L-92 group when compared with the baseline values. Significant decreases in thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and total IgE were also detected 24 weeks after intake in the L-92 group compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSION: It was suggested that intake of sufficient amounts of L-92 works as an adjunctive treatment of young children afflicted by AD with diagnosed or suspected FA.
Bacteria ; Chemokine CCL17 ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant ; Lactic Acid ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Lactobacillus

PURPOSE: This study investigated the clinical presentations of symptomatic Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in children. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 43 children aged <20 years who showed either positive C. difficile culture or C. difficile toxin test results between June 2010 and April 2014. RESULTS: Of the 43 patients (mean age 6.7 years), 22 were boys. Sixteen patients (37.2%) showed both positive C. difficile culture and toxin test results. Seventeen out of 43 children (39.5%) had preexisting gastrointestinal diseases, and 26 children had other medical conditions that were risk factors for CDI. Twenty-eight children had a history of antibiotic treatment for >3 days, and the most frequently prescribed antibiotic was amoxicillin-clavulanate (35.7%). Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with CDI despite taking probiotic supplements, most commonly Lactobacillus acidophilus (53.6%). The most common symptom was diarrhea (72.1%) at the time CDI was diagnosed. C. difficile was eradicated in 11 patients (25.6%) after treatment with oral metronidazole for 10-14 days, and in the two patients (4.6%) who required two courses of oral metronidazole. Sixteen patients (37.2%) showed clinical improvement without any treatment. CONCLUSION: This study showed the various clinical characteristics of CDI in children and that preexisting clinical conditions favored the development of CDI. In addition, CDI was found to occur in a number of patients even after probiotic prophylaxis given in conjunction with antibiotic therapy.
Child* ; Clostridium difficile* ; Diarrhea ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Medical Records ; Metronidazole ; Probiotics* ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the oral antimicrobial effects of seven different mouthwashes available in Korea. METHODS: To examine the antimicrobial effects of the seven mouthwashes, their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using broth microdilution methods. Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4355, Candida albicans KCTC 7270, and Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 were used in this experiment. S. mutans and P. gingivalis were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), after treatment with the mouthwashes containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). RESULTS: Mouthwashes containing CPC had lower MIC and MBC values against the four microorganisms. Their bactericidal effects were concentration-dependent. S. mutans and C. albicans were highly sensitive to the concentration of CPC in the mouthwashes. According to the SEM observation, the treatment of bacteria with mouthwashes containing CPC, changed the cell surface texture of S. mutans and P. gingivalis. CONCLUSIONS: Mouthwashes containing CPC showed relatively lower MIC and MBC values under the same conditions against the four microorganisms used in this study.
Bacteria ; Candida albicans ; Cetylpyridinium ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Korea* ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Mouthwashes* ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Streptococcus mutans