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Genotoxicity and subchronic general toxicity assessments of Lactobacillus curvatus WiKim 38 using Sprague-Dawley rats.

  • 2021-06
  • Food and Chemical Toxicology 152
    • Ji-Seok Han
    • Seng-Min Back
    • Jae-woo Cho
    • Heejin Park
    • Woojin Kim
    • S. Park
    • Jung-Ho Noh
    • Yongbum Kim
    • Byoung-Seok Lee

Abstract

Lactobacillus curvatus WiKim 38 (LCW), isolated from kimchi, has shown novel immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, to obtain data on the safety of LCW, we performed three genotoxicity (bacterial reverse mutation, chromosome aberration, and micronucleus) and two general toxicity (single-dosing and 13-week repeated-dosing) studies. In the genotoxicity assessment, LCW showed no increased reverse mutation for 4 strains of Salmonella typhimurium and a strain of Escherichia coli. In addition, LCW did not induce chromosome aberrations at concentrations up to 5000 μg/mL in cultured Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells and did not induce an increased frequency of micronuclei in the bone marrow cells of rats at concentrations up to 2000 mg/kg. In the acute toxicity study using Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, the approximate lethal dose of LCW was determined to be over 5000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) in both sexes. Finally, in the subchronic toxicity study, no LCW-related adverse effects were observed at concentrations up to 5000 mg/kg b.w./day. Consequently, LCW is considered not to have mutagenic effects, and its no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) is 5000 mg/kg b.w., equivalent to approximately 4.71 × 109 CFU/kg b.w., suggesting the LCW could be a potential probiotic for humans based on its safety profile.

Keywords: Genotoxicity; Lactobacillus curvatus WiKim 38; Probiotics; Safety assessment; Subchronic general toxicity.

Research Insights

SupplementHealth OutcomeEffect TypeEffect Size
Lactobacillus curvatusAbsence of Acute ToxicityNeutral
Large
Lactobacillus curvatusNo Increase in Reverse MutationNeutral
Large
Lactobacillus curvatusNo Induced Chromosomal AberrationsNeutral
Large
Lactobacillus curvatusNo Subchronic ToxicityNeutral
Large
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