In order to clarify the effects of the Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) 11/19-B1 strain, a double-blind controlled study of yogurt fermented with the strain was carried out. For the study, two kinds of yogurt, the control and test yogurt, were prepared; the control yogurt was fermented with Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and the test yogurt was enriched with L. lactis 11/19-B1 and Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) BB-12 strains. Seventy-six volunteers who had not received treatment with pharmaceuticals were randomly divided into two groups with each group ingesting 80 g of either the test or control yogurt every day for 8 weeks. Before and after yogurt intake, fasting blood was taken and blood sugar, blood lipids, and anti-cytomegalovirus cellular immunity were estimated. In the test yogurt group, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was significantly decreased (159.1 ± 25.7 to 149.3 ± 24.4; p = 0.02), but this effect was not observed in the control yogurt group. When the test yogurt group was divided into two groups based on LDL levels of over or under 120 mg/dL, this effect was only observed in the high LDL group. No LDL-lowering effect of B. lactis BB-12 strain was previously reported; therefore, the hypocholesterolemic effects observed in this study are thought to be caused by the L. lactis 11/19-B1 strain alone or its combination with the B. lactis BB-12 strain.

Various berries demonstrate antioxidant activity, and this effect is expected to prevent chronic diseases. We examined whether a diet containing blueberry powder could prevent the development of bladder dysfunction secondary to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). Eighteen 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham (sham operated + normal diet), N-BOO (BOO operated + normal diet) and B-BOO (BOO operated + blueberry diet). Four weeks after BOO surgery, the N-BOO group developed bladder dysfunction with detrusor overactivity. The B-BOO group showed significantly improved micturition volume and micturition interval. The urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as oxidative stress markers. In the N-BOO group, 8-OHdG increased 1.6-fold and MDA increased 1.3-fold at 4 weeks after surgery, whereas the increase in 8-OHdG was significantly reduced by 1.1-fold, despite a similar increase in MDA, in the B-BOO group. Bladder remodeling was confirmed due to bladder hypertrophy, fibrosis and increased connexin43 expression in the N-BOO group, but these histological changes were reduced in the B-BOO group. The intake of blueberries prevented the development of bladder dysfunction secondary to BOO. This effect seems to be related to antioxidation and the inhibition of bladder remodeling.

The aim of the present study was to clarify the involvement of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or organic anion transporting polypeptide (Oatp) 1a5 in the pharmacokinetics of nadolol (NDL), a non-metabolized hydrophilic β-adrenoceptor blocker, in rats. Pretreatment with itraconazole (ICZ, P-gp inhibitor, 50 mg/kg) for 30 min before oral administration of NDL (10 mg/kg) significantly increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC₀₋∞)of NDL by 1.7-fold compared with control. Intragastric administration of dexamethasone (DEX, 8 mg/kg) for 4 consecutive days increased P-gp level in the intestine and the liver. In line with this, DEX pre-treatment decreased maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) of NDL by 28% of control. To inhibit the intestinal Oatp1a5, naringin (NRG, 0.145 mg/kg) was preadministered orally for 30 min before the oral administrations of NDL or celiprolol (CEL, 10 mg/kg, Oatp1a5 substrate). Although NRG markedly reduced C(max) and AUC₀₋∞ of CEL by 60% and 65% of control, respectively, little difference was observed in the plasma concentration of NDL between NRG and control. These results suggest that P-gp is greatly involved in the pharmacokinetics of NDL, while the involvement of Oatp1a5 in the pharmacokinetics of NDL may be less than that of celiprolol in rats.

Soybeans and fermented soy-derived foodstuffs contain many functional components and demonstrate various beneficial effects. In this report, we demonstrate the anti-fatty liver effect of miso, a traditional fermented product made from soybeans and rice molded in Aspergillus oryzae and forming a common part of the Japanese diet. After acclimation for 2 weeks, male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed with a normal diet (ND), a high-fat diet (HFD), a HFD containing 5% miso (HFD+M), or a HFD containing 5% pre-fermented miso (HFD+PFM) for 20 weeks. Although mice in the HFD group developed typical fatty liver, the consumption of miso or PFM significantly ameliorated the progression of fatty liver in female mice. The liver weight and the average nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) were significantly reduced in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. In addition, leptin and resistin levels in the serum were decreased in the HFD+M and HFD+PFM groups. The progression of fatty liver was also prevented by the consumption of miso or PFM in male mice, although there were no decreases in NAS. Therefore, miso appears to be a potential food to prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as metabolic syndrome.

Probiotics are live bacteria used as food additives that are beneficial to human health. Lactococcus lactis 11/19-B1 strain isolated from kiwi fruit stimulates innate immunity in silkworms. Intake of yogurt containing the living 11/19-B1 strain significantly decreases the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in high-LDL volunteers and improves atopic dermatitis in humans. In this study, the probiotic properties of the 11/19-B1 strain, such as sensitivity to antimicrobial compounds, biogenic amine production, some virulence genes for human health, antimicrobial activity, tolerance to gastric acid and bile acids, and ability to adhere to the intestinal mucosa, were evaluated. The 11/19-B1 strain did not show resistance to the tested antimicrobial compounds except cefoxitin and fosfomycin. In addition, no production of amines that can harm humans, the antimicrobial activity required for probiotics, and the absence of adhesion to Caco-2 cells suggest that it is unlikely to attach to the intestinal epithelium. The 11/19-B1 strain grew in 0.3% but not in 1% bile salt. In the presence of 2% skim milk, the survival rate of the 11/19-B1 strain under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions was 67% even after 4 h. These results indicate that the 11/19-B1 strain may function as a probiotic or paraprobiotic to be utilized in the food industry.