Hypercholesterolemia is generally recognised as a risk factor for cardiovascular
disease. Musa sapientum Linn. or Kluai Namwa (banana; ABB genome type) provides a
functional nutrient in health promotion products and is a source of various probiotics. Lactic
acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from several sources are reported with cholesterol-lowering
potential. However, the effects of LAB isolated from bananas on total cholesterol are still
unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the cholesterol-removing ability of 5 LAB
strains isolated from raw M. sapientum. All tested strains show a cholesterol-lowering
property in species- and strain-dependent manner, with Weissella paramesenteroides NR27
being the most effective probiotic in reducing cholesterol concentration (P < 0.001). The
removal of cholesterol by LAB is partially due to the production of bile salt hydrolase. All
tested isolates exhibit more than 75% and 50% survival rates after challenging with simulated
gastric and intestinal fluids respectively. Of these, W. paramesenteroides NR27 has a
significantly higher survival rate (80%) in gastrointestinal conditions (P < 0.001), compared
with all tested strains. In addition, antibiotic-resistant genes are not present in all drugs tested
on this isolate. Therefore, W. paramesenteroides NR27 could be a promising probiotic
candidate for reducing total cholesterol.
Keywords
lactic acid bacteria, cholesterol-lowering property, Musa sapientum Linn.
MAEJO INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY