Journal of Probiotics & Health
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-8901
+44 1223 790975
ISSN: 2329-8901
+44 1223 790975
Filomena Nazzaro, Selenia Pepe, Tiziana Granese, Autilia Cozzolino, Federica Cardinale and Florinda Fratianni
Posters: J Prob Health
Fruits and vegetables contain high amount of polyphenols capable to exert several beneficial effects on the human health. Few studies refer to the effect of plant extracts, rich in polyphenols and with a high level of antioxidant activity, on the growth of probiotics and on some of their metabolic activities. The work was aimed to evaluate the influence of rocket salad ( Eruca sativa ) on the growth and some biochemical and biological (antioxidant, antimicrobial) properties of a strain of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus. Lb acidophilus was anaerobically grown in MRS broth containing extract of Eruca sativa . After 24 h, the culture was serially diluted in physiological solution, and plated onto MRS agar. An aliquot of the culture was recovered by centrifugation, and washed twice. Pellet was treated following the method of and assayed for antioxidant activity (DPPH method). The antimicrobial activity of filtered supernatant was assayed based on the inhibition halo test against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogen strains. Lb. acidophilus grown in MRS was used as control. Rocket salad did not negatively affect the growth of Lb acidophilus , which showed values (1.2x10 7 cfu/ ml) just slightly lower than the control (1.25x10 8 cfu/ml), after 24 h of incubation at 37�C. Antioxidant power of Lb acidophilus was increased from 17% to 24% (EC 50 =92.13 μ l of the control versus EC50 48.64 μ l of Lb acidophilus grown in the presence of Eruca sativa , respectively), testifying that the presence of Eruca sativa could enhance the antioxidant capability of this probiotic strain. Antimicrobial activity was similar to the control. These preliminary data led to hypothesize that the growth of Lb acidophilus with Eruca sativa could enhance some properties of the strain, with potential positive effects on human health, to be evaluated through other in vitro and in vivo tests.