Hypocholesterolemic effect of Lactobacillus casei isolated from Dahi (Indian yoghurt) in albino rats

The effects of milk product (FM) fermented by Lactobacillus casei isolated from market Dahi on total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemia albino rats were studied. Rats were fed standard diet (SD), standard diet with fermented milk (SD+FM), cholesterol-enriched diet (SD+ CH) and cholesterol-enriched diet with fermented milk (SD+CH+FM). The obtained results indicate very little modification of the normal level of total cholesterol and its fraction for the standard diet or standard diet with added fermented milk. A significant augmentation of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in rats consuming cholesterol-enriched diet (SD+CH) and cholesterol-enriched diet with fermented milk were observed. However, addition of L. casei fermented milk (FM) to the rats fed cholesterol-enriched diet brought about a significant lowering of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol in comparison with the rat groups received only cholesterol-enriched diet. The addition of the fermented milk to rat's standard diet has very little effect on the level of total cholesterol and on its fraction, when these are initially normal. These results demonstrate that increased consumption of market Dahi can be recommended for hypercholesterolemic individuals with a view to reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease in India.