Lemon Juice Synergistically Preserved with Lactobacilli Ameliorates Inflammation in Shigellosis Mice

The use of probiotic Lactobacilli has moved from concept to implement in different applications. The study was carried out to establish the synergistic role of co-cultures of Lactobacillus casei, L. delbrueckii, L. plantarum and L. helveticus in lemon juice (LJ) preservation as well as investigate the inflammatory- and toxicity profiles of biopreserved LJ ingested shigellosis mice. Lactobacilli were cultured individually and cocultured with different combinations. Four strain Lactobacilli had significant preservative activity than any other combinations in both free and microencapsulated Lactobacilli. The four microencapsulated bacteria extended shelf-life of the LJ in about two weeks at 4°C. The free or microencapsulated bacteria were increased acidic pH into LJ. It was evidently proved that microencapsulated cocultures of different strains remained viable over a long period of time and the probiotically fermented juice were potentially inhibiting the pathogenic growth. For inflammatory acute shigellosis, therapies were divided into six groups: LJ only; LJ containing pathogenic bacteria (PB); LJ containing curd, the source of Lactobacilli; LJ containing curd and PB; LJ containing four Lactobacilli LAB1,3,4,6 and LJ containing chemical preservatives (PR, prophyl paraben and methyl paraben 9:1). Lactobacilli preserved LJ were found to be favorably lower inflammatory haematological profiles such as ESR, WBC count and C-reactive protein (CRP) agglutination in acute shigellosis mice. In addition, biopreserved LJ was safe owing to normal ranges of SGPT, SGOT, SALP and AA levels in shigellosis mice. Prospective studies on mechanisms of the probiotic activities might be enable their new medical applications for food preservation and treatment of inflammatory dysentery patients.