Effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 and antioxidants on intestinal flora and bacterial translocation in rats with experimental cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
Probiotics and antioxidants could be alternatives to antibiotics in the prevention of bacterial infections in cirrhosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 and antioxidants on intestinal flora, endotoxemia, and bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats.


METHODS
Twenty-nine Sprague-Dawley rats with cirrhosis induced by CCl(4) and ascites received Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 10(9)cfu/day in vehicle (antioxidants: vitamin C+glutamate) (n=10), vehicle alone (n=11), or water (n=8) by gavage. Another eight non-cirrhotic rats formed the control group. After 10 days of treatment, a laparotomy was performed to determine microbiological study of ileal and cecal feces, bacterial translocation, endotoxemia, and intestinal malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as index of intestinal oxidative damage.


RESULTS
Intestinal enterobacteria and enterococci, bacterial translocation (0/11 and 0/10 vs. 5/8, P<0.01), and ileal MDA levels (P<0.01) were lower in cirrhotic rats treated with antioxidants alone or in combination with Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 compared to cirrhotic rats receiving water. Only rats treated with antioxidants and Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 showed a decrease in endotoxemia with respect to cirrhotic rats receiving water (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Antioxidants alone or in combination with Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 can be useful in preventing bacterial translocation in cirrhosis.
Chiva
Maite
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167 Barcelona 08025, Spain.
Soriano
Germán
G
Rochat
Isabelle
I
Peralta
Carmen
C
Rochat
Florence
F
Llovet
Teresa
T
Mirelis
Beatriz
B
Schiffrin
Eduardo J
EJ
Guarner
Carlos
C
Balanzó
Joaquim
J
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001201:Ascites / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000975:Antioxidants; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001205:Ascorbic Acid