In vivo antimalarial activity of a probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus sakei isolated from traditionally fermented milk in BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2021-11, Vol.280, p.114448-114448, Article 114448
• Main Authors: Toukam, Liliane Laure, Tatsinkou Fossi, Bertrand, Taiwe, Germain Sotoing, Bila, Raymond Bess, Feugaing Sofeu, David Denis, Ivo, Enyong Peter, Achidi, Eric Akum
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antimalarials - administration & dosage; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Cameroon; Chloroquine - pharmacology; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Combinations; Fermented Foods; Fermented milk; Fulani; Haematological parameters; Lactobacillus sakei; Malaria; Malaria - parasitology; Malaria - therapy; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Milk - microbiology; Parasitaemia; Parasitemia - parasitology; Parasitemia - therapy; Plasmodium berghei - drug effects; Probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Probiotics - pharmacology; Pyrimethamine - pharmacology; Sulfadoxine - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114448

Milk production, processing and consumption are integral part of traditional practices in Fulani tribe of Cameroon. It has been observed that Fulani are resistant to malaria. Dairy products traditionally processed by Fulani are intensively used in the ritual treatment of malarial, inflammations and behavioural disorders. Many studies have demonstrated that fermented milk is a rich source of probiotic bacteria. However, the antimalarial activity of probiotics isolated from this natural source has not been experimentally tested. Hence, this study was therefore aimed at evaluating the antimalarial activity of a probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus sakei isolated from traditionally fermented milk in mice infected with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei ANKA. The probiotic bacterium was isolated from the Cameroonian Mborro Fulani's traditionally fermented milk and identified using the 16S r RNA gene sequencing. The schizontocidal activity of Lactobacillus sakei on established malaria infection was evaluated. Eighty-four healthy young adult Balb/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei parasite were randomly divided into two sets of seven group of six mice each, and were given three different doses of Lactobacillus sakei, chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine for seven and fourteen days respectively. The level of parasitaemia, body temperature, survival time and haematological parameters were evaluated. The parasite growth inhibition was observed to increase with increasing dose of probiotic bacterium with maximum suppression being 100 % at dose 3 on day 20. Also, the probiotic bacterium significantly prevented body weight loss and was associated with body temperature reduction and prevented (p