Year: 2013 | Month: June | Volume 2 | Issue 1
Survival and release of probiotic bacteria from chitosan-coated alginate-starch capsules in mice gastro-intestinal tract and effect on faecal flora and immune parameters in mice
Abstract: <div>Chitosan-coated alginate-starch (CCAS) capsules containing approximately 108 CFU of Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain cells (LCS) were fed to mice and the release profile of bacteria from CCAS capsules in murine GI tract was investigated at different time intervals. There was a complete release (108 CFU) of LCS from capsules within 12 h in mice ileal region. There was only a partial release of encapsulated LCS, in duodenal, jejunal and colon regions, while there was no release of encapsulated LCS in stomach from the CCAS capsules even after 24 h. The effect of feeding (14 days) CCAS encapsulated LCS on faecal microbial population and immune parameters in mice were also determined. The numbers of LCS recovered from the faeces confirmed adequate percentage of LCS survived passage through gastrointestinal tract. A concomitant increase in the LCS and total lactobacilli count during the test period was observed in the group fed with CCAS encapsulated bacteria compared to the one fed with free non-encapsulated bacteria. This experiment also showed that the CCAS microencapsulated LCS did not affect or mask the probiotic bacteria’s immunomodulatory activity. The effect on the specific immune response was assessed by measuring cytokine production of the mouse splenocytes. There was significant increase (p<0.05) in interleukin (IL-10) and interferon (IFN)-γ production between groups fed with CCAS encapsulated LCS and free LCS compared to the control and the one fed</div><div>with empty CCAS alginate capsules. Chitosan coated alginate-starch capsules</div><div>can be effectively used to deliver viable bacteria safely to animal intestine for</div><div>increased immunomodulatory activity.</div>
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