The effect of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis) on the accumulation of lead in rat brains

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017, Vol.24 (2), p.1700-1705
• Main Authors: Zanjani, Saman Yahyavi, Eskandari, Mohammad Reza, Kamali, Koorosh, Mohseni, Mehran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bacteria; Bifidobacterium animalis - physiology; Bifidobacterium lactis; Biocompatibility; Blood-brain barrier; Brain - metabolism; Chronic exposure; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Exposure; Food Contamination; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; In vivo methods and tests; Lactobacillus acidophilus; Lactobacillus acidophilus - physiology; Lead; Lead - metabolism; Lead content; Lead poisoning; Male; Metal concentrations; Microorganisms; Nervous system; Probiotics; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Research Article; Toxicity; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Yogurt
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7946-9

Lead is a toxic metal present in different concentrations in a wide variety of food products. Exposure to lead, even to low levels, causes acute and chronic toxicities. Lead can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the nervous system. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when used in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Although a recent study demonstrated that the studied bacteria have a protective effect against acute lead toxicity, no research has been found that shows the long-term impact of these bacteria in vivo. The current study surveyed the protective effects of two species of probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12, that are most widely used in many functional foods against oral lead exposure (4 weeks) in rat brains. The results revealed that, at the end of the second week of chronic exposure to lead and probiotic bacteria, the lowest level of lead belonged to the Lactobacillus group. At the end of the fourth week, the lowest amount of lead was related to the group receiving both types of probiotics. With the physiological benefits of probiotic consumption, the bacterial solution in this study did not show high efficacy in reducing brain lead concentrations.