유산간균발효유(Yakult)에서 분리된 Lactobacillus casei의 병원성 장내세균에 대한 항균작용

Antibacterial Activity of Lactobacillus casei Isolated from Yakult against Pathogenic Enterobacteria

Genus Lactobacillus is one of the most ubiquitous bacteria and recovered from a number of biotopes, ie., in vesetable, animal product, fermented beverage, sewage, milk product, body cavities of mammals such as oral cavity, vagina and gastrointestinal tract. Although the numbers of Lactobacilli in the gastrointestinal tract are not dominant over other species of normal flora, it may play a major role in growth inhibition of enterobacterial pathogens through the production of antibacterial substances such as acid, peroxide, antibiotics and bacterio-cins. It has been known that L. casei exerted an antibacterial activity against some of gram-negative enterobacteria, ie., enterotoxigenic E. coli, S. typhimurium and S. dysenteriae. However, the antibac terial activity of L. casei against other species of pathogenic enterobacteria and their mechanisms have not been clarified.