Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum BG 24 , isolated from naturally fermented cereal beverage

The health status of the individuals is determined by the microflora inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. Diet, stress, diseases, treatments and the environment influence the composition and activity of microorganisms in the gut. One way to restore the balance of the gastrointestinal microflora is the administration of beneficial lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the form of probiotics or probiotic foods. Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer beneficial effects to the host, when administered in adequate amounts [2, 7]. Their beneficial effects in gastro-intestinal infections, reduction of serum cholesterol, protecting the immune system, suppression of infections caused by Helicobacter pylori, Krohn's disease, restoring the microflora in the gut and intestine after antibiotic treatment, their anti-cancer properties, antimutagenic effect, antidiarrheal properties and others are well known [1, 8, 10, 12]. The main components of probiotics are lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc) and bifidobacteria that are applied in the manufacture of probiotic foods as well [7, 10, 11], the largest proportion being the lactobacilli. Not all the lactobacilli can be included in the composition of the probiotics and probiotic foods, but only those that have certain characteristics [9, 10, 13]: to be part of the natural microflora in humans and animals; to adhere to epithelial cells or cell lines; to survive under the conditions of the stomach and the intestines, i.e. to survive under the conditions of acidic pH in the stomach and to be resistant to the action of bile [12]; to be able to reproduce in the gastro-intestinal tract; to suppress the pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms [5, 6] and to push them out of the biological niche utilizing advantageously the substrate; to allow industrial fermentation; to possess antimicrobial activity against conditionally pathogenic, carcinogenic and pathogenic microorganisms; to produce antimicrobial substances; to modulate the immune response; to be safe for clinical and nutritional uses [14]. The purpose of the present work was to investigate some probiotic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum BG24 (isolated from naturally fermentirala cereal drink boza) resistance to different values of pH and enzymes (pH=2 + pepsin, pH=4.5 + pancreatin and pH=7 + pancreatin), different concentrations of bile salts, and the profile of its antibiotic resistance.