Antimutagenic properties of probiotic bacteria and of organic acids.

Antimutagenic activities of live and killed cells of 6 strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and 9 strains of bifidobacteria and of organic acids usually produced by these probiotic bacteria were determined using 8 potent chemical mutagens and promutagens. The mutagens and promutagens used were N-methyl, N'-nitro, N-nitrosoguanidine; 2-nitroflourene; 4-nitro-O-phenylenediamine; 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide; Aflatoxin-B; 2-amino-3-methyl-3H-imidazoquinoline; 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo (4,5-b) pyridine, and 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido (3,3-6) indole. The mutagenicity of these mutagens and antimutagenic activity of probiotic bacteria against the mutagens were determined according to the Ames TA-100 assay using a mutant of Salmonella typhimurium. Efficiency of bacterial cells in binding or inhibiting these mutagens was also investigated. Live cells of probiotic bacteria showed higher antimutagenic activity and their efficiency in inhibiting the mutagens was better than killed bacterial cells. Live bacterial cells bound or inhibited the mutagens permanently, whereas killed bacteria released mutagens upon extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide. Among the organic acids, butyric acid showed highest inhibition of mutagens followed by acetic acid. Lactic and pyruvic acids did not show appreciable levels of inhibition.