Min-Tze Liong
School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia

Abstract:
Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics have been primarily used to improve gut health and alleviate gut disorders such as diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome. However, current studies have suggested that they are capable to exhibit other health enhancing roles including hypocholesterolemia. Although a positive effect has been reported in various findings, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cholesterol lowering effects of a synbiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and inulin using hypercholesterolemic subjects. The possible mechanisms involved were also assessed. Eighteen hypercholesterolemic male and female subjects aged between 20 to 53 years old were recruited for this double-blind, randomly-assigned and placebo-controlled trial for 12 weeks. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups, namely the synbiotic group (L. acidophilus ATCC 4962, inulin) and the placebo group (rice starch). Plasma samples were analyzed for total-, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides levels using commercial kits. Chylomicrons-free plasma was sub-fractionated to produce lipoprotein classes of VLDL-, HDL- and LDLcholesterol which were subsequently characterized. Our results showed that the administration of synbiotic reduced plasma triglycerides, total- and LDL-cholesterol levels (P<0.05) by 11.23%, 8.16% and 9.69%, respectively after twelve weeks while the placebo group did not show statistically significant changes. Our results also showed that the administration of the synbiotic affected the concentrations of triglycerides, protein and phospholipids in the lipoprotein classes. This suggested that the synbiotic may have exhibited a hypocholesterolemic effect via affecting the compositions of lipoproteins, leading to their increased hydrolysis and removal from blood. Findings from our present study exhibited the possibility of using synbiotic as a natural alternative to cholesterol lowering drugs to improve lipid profiles of those with hypercholesterolemia. It could also be incorporated as food adjunct for the production of functional food products.