Abstract:
High cholesterol level in the blood is correlated with high risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases. Recent findings have proven that Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3 and Ganoderma lucidum can individually lower cholesterol levels. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3 and Ganoderma lucidum on cholesterol concentration at different concentrations in vitro. The two specimens were subjected to cholesterol assimilation assay procedure modified from Ong and Laluces (2008). Measurements of the cholesterol concentration were taken before and after the incubation period and correlated to a standard curve to approximate the cholesterol concentration assimilated. It was found that the Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3 did not show cholesterol lowering using both the 0.2% ox bile concentration and 0.4% ox bile concentration. It is possible that Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3, using 0.05% and 1% concentration in the experimental conditions followed, may not lower cholesterol effectively. The Ganoderma lucidum did not show any cholesterol lowering in vitro for both the 0.2% ox bile concentration and 0.4% ox bile concentration. The cholesterol assimilation assay procedure may not be suitable for the fungi to act on for the fungi lowers cholesterol levels via preventing cholesterol synthesis (Berger et al., 2000). The different concentrations of Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3 and Ganoderma lucidum had no effect in lowering cholesterol levels in vitro. The combinations of Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3 and Ganoderma lucidum also had no cholesterol lowering effect in vitro. There may be an antagonistic interaction between the bacteria and fungi. Based on our findings, the Lactobacillus pentosus 3G3, Ganoderma lucidum and their combination had no effect on cholesterol concentration in vitro.
