Hepatoprotective effect of lactic acid bacteria, inhibitors of β-glucuronidase production against intestinal microflora

The hepatoprotective activity of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus brevis HY7401,Lactobacillus acidophilus CSG andBifidobacterium longum HY8001), which inhibited β-glucuronidase productivity of intestinal microflora, ont-BHP- or CCI4-induced hepatotoxicity of mice were evaluated. These oral administration of lactic acid bacteria lowered β-glucuronidase production of intestinal microflora as well asEscherichia coli HGU-3. When lactic acid bacteria at a dose of 0.5 or 2 g (wet weight)/kg was orally administered on CCI4-induced liver injury in mice, these bacteria significantly inhibited the increase of plasma alanine transferase and aspartate transferase activities by 17∼57% and 57∼66% of the CCI4 control group, respectively. These lactic acid bacteria also showed the potent hepatoprotective effect againstt-BHP-induced liver injury in mice. The inhibitory effects of these lactic acid bacteria were more potent than that of dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate (DDB), which have been used as a commercial hepatoprotective agent. Among these lactic acid bacteria,L. acidophilus CSG exhibited the most potent hepatoprotective effect. Based on these findings, we insist that an inhibitor of β-glucuronidase production in intestine, such as lactic acid bacteria, may be hepatoprotective.