CHOLESTEROL LOWERING PROPERTY OF LACTOBACILLUS PLANTARUM ISOLATED FROM COW MILK

The aim of this study is to investigate the cholesterol lowering property of bacterial isolates. Different cultures of the bacteria were isolated from cow milk. Out of the cultured bacterial isolates Lactobacillus species, Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus were screened. Three isolates such as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus casei were identified based on morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Sugar fermentation test was performed to identify Lactobacillus species. The sugars such as D- glucose, galactose, lactose, mannitol and D-fructose were used. The five isolates were inoculated on Nutrient agar medium with cholesterol (1mg/1ml) concentration and incubated for 24 hours to check the cholesterol utilization. Cholesterol lowering activities of these organisms were checked at different concentration of cholesterol, different pH, different temperature and different incubation time. The results of this study, suggests that Lactobacillus plantarum was an effective organism for cholesterol utilization at pH 7, temperature at 35ºC and incubation time was at 24 hrs. Hence Lactobacillus plantarum has been reported as cholesterol lowering agent.