title: Efficacy of microencapsulated lactic acid bacteria in Helicobater pylori eradication therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Probiotic delivery systems are widely used nutraceutical products for the supplementation of natural intestinal flora. These delivery systems vary greatly in the effectiveness to exert health benefits for a patient. This study focuses on providing probiotic living cells with a physical barrier against adverse environmental conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microencapsulation of the selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) using chitosan and alginate was performed. Physical examination of the formulated LAB microcapsules was observed using phase contrast inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Finally, the survival of microencapsulated and noncapsulated bacteria was cheeked in the simulated human gastric tract (GT). The potential antimicrobial activity of the most potent microencapsulated LAB strain was in vivo evaluated in rabbit models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microencapsulated L. plantarum, L. acidophilus, and L. bulgaricus DSMZ 20080 were loaded with 1.03 × 10(10) CFU viable bacteria/g, 1.9 × 10(10) CFU viable bacteria/g, and 5.5 × 10(9) CFU viable bacteria/g, respectively. The survival of microencapsulated cells was significantly higher than that of the free cells after exposure to simulated gastric juice (SGJ) at pH 2. Additionally, in simulated small intestine juice (SSJ), larger amounts of the selected LAB cells were found, whereas in simulated colon juice (SCJ), the released LAB reached the maximum counts. In vivo results pointed out that an 8-week supplementation with a triple therapy of a microencapsulated L. plantarum, L. acidophilus, and L. bulgaricus DSMZ 20080 might be able to reduce H. pylori.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microencapsulated probiotics could possibly compete with and downregulate H. pylori infection in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, KSA.
authors.forename: Maha A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mostafa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El-Sheekh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotech Institute, Borg El-Arab City for Scientific Research, Universities and Research District Sector, New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hala I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: El-Adawi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotech Institute, Borg El-Arab City for Scientific Research, Universities and Research District Sector, New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nehal M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: El-Deeb
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Hussein
keywords: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori); microcapsule; probiotics