Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential effects of the intake of fermented milk containing the probiotic bacteria Lactobacilli spp. and Befidobacteria sp. as a supplementation for daily food and the possible prevention of hepatic lesions induced by the oral administration of a carcinogenic mutagen 3 amino-I methyl-5H-pyrido (4, 3-b) indole.
Design/methodology/approach - In total, 20 mice were divided into four groups. A control group was fed the murine pallet food for 30 days. Another three groups were given orally one dose of the toxic mutagen at the beginning of the experimental period and then fed the normal diet. At the 15th day, mice of the first group were dissected while the mice of the second group were given a second dose then continued feeding normal diet. Animals of the third group were given the second dose of the toxic mutagen and started feeding fermented milk for another 15 days. The quality of life was measured by specific strain count in stool, histopathological, histochemical changes of liver and count of lymphocytes were studied.
Findings - The variable count of Lac. sp. and Bif.sp. in stool of mice indicated that feeding these mice on the fermented milk repaired the slightly damaged areas and prevented the progressive damage effects of the toxic mutagen in these areas, while those which were severely damaged remained unrepaired. Moreover, the presented histochemical study recorded slight depletion in the total carbohydrate and total protein contents only in group C in comparison with controls.
Originality/value - The paper shows that the potential effect of fermented milk ingestion was capable of endorsing protective measures to hepatic tissue architecture and decreasing the toxic effect induced by mutagen administration.